Kilmovee () is a village and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
in
County Mayo,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. It is a mainly rural parish on the
R325 road, midway between Kilkelly and Ballaghaderreen.
In March 2004, the Cois Tine Heritage Centre was opened and since then it has become a cultural centre for the people of the area. In 2011, the Annual Seosamh Mac Gabhann Summer School was established in Kilmovee to honour the Irish language playwright and music teacher Seosamh Mac Gabhann, who lived and worked in Kilmovee for much of his life.
History
In pre-Norman Ireland, the lands of Kilmovee formed part of the Kingdom of
Sliabh Lugha, a territory ruled by the O'Gadhra Dynasty. Sliabh Lugha was a subdivision of the larger
Gailenga
Gailenga was the name of two related peoples and kingdoms found in medieval Ireland in Brega and Connacht.
Origins
Along with the Luighne, Delbhna, Saitne and Ciannachta, the Gailenga claimed descent from Tadc mac Cein mac Ailill Aulom. Franc ...
kingdom, from which derives the modern name
Gallen.
After the
Norman Invasion
The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, Duchy of Brittany, Breton, County of Flanders, Flemish, and Kingdom of France, French troops, ...
, the parish of Kilmovee became part of the
Barony of Costello. The Nangle or de Angelo invaders came southwest from the De Lacy territory in Carrick-on-Shannon and forced the O'Gadhras from their stronghold in Airtech Mór, building their own castle there in
1225
Year 1225 ( MCCXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Mongol Empire
* Autumn – Subutai is assigned a new campaign by Genghis Khan against the Ta ...
. It became known as Castlemore and the region was sometimes called Castlemore-MacCostello.
The
Annals of Connacht
The ''Annals of Connacht'' (), covering the years 1224 to 1544, are drawn from a manuscript compiled in the 15th and 16th centuries by at least three scribes, all believed to be members of the Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin.
The early sections, commenci ...
mention a skirmish which took place in Clooncara, Kilmovee in 1464:
Samuel Lewis's ''Topographical Dictionary of Ireland'', published in 1837, gives the following account of Kilmovee:
Archaeological sites
An
ogham
Ogham ( Modern Irish: ; mga, ogum, ogom, later mga, ogam, label=none ) is an Early Medieval alphabet used primarily to write the early Irish language (in the "orthodox" inscriptions, 4th to 6th centuries AD), and later the Old Irish langu ...
stone found in a wall in Kilmovee is now mounted beside "The Three Wells." "The Three Wells" are reputed to have sprung up when St. Mobhi struck the ground with his staff when he had no water to baptise the local people.
According to the Celtic Inscribed Stones Project the inscription is somewhat damaged but the legible part reads: "ALATTOS MAQI BR"
-.
The_parish_of_Kilmovee_has_several_Iron_Age_stone_forts_in_various_states,_including_
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The_parish_of_Kilmovee_has_several_Iron_Age_stone_forts_in_various_states,_including_Kilcashel_Stone_Fort.
_Built_heritage
;The_Glebe
The_residence_of_the_Protestant_Rector_for_Ballaghaderreen._When_the_French_army_was_marching_east_from_Killala_to_Longford,_the_battalion_came_through_Kilmovee_to_cross_the_River_Lung._Local_farmers_joined_the_battalion_to_fight_off_the_enemy._When_the_battalion_was_defeated,_the_local_farmers’_lands_were_confiscated_and_given_to_the_Protestant_Church.
;Church_of_Mobhí
Kilmovee_is_known_in_
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The_parish_of_Kilmovee_has_several_Iron_Age_stone_forts_in_various_states,_including_Kilcashel_Stone_Fort.
_Built_heritage
;The_Glebe
The_residence_of_the_Protestant_Rector_for_Ballaghaderreen._When_the_French_army_was_marching_east_from_Killala_to_Longford,_the_battalion_came_through_Kilmovee_to_cross_the_River_Lung._Local_farmers_joined_the_battalion_to_fight_off_the_enemy._When_the_battalion_was_defeated,_the_local_farmers’_lands_were_confiscated_and_given_to_the_Protestant_Church.
;Church_of_Mobhí
Kilmovee_is_known_in_Irish_language">Irish
_
Irish_may_refer_to:
_Common_meanings
*_Someone_or_something_of,_from,_or_related_to:
**_Ireland,_an_island_situated_off_the_north-western_coast_of_continental_Europe
***Éire,_Irish_language_name_for_the_isle
**_Northern_Ireland,_a_constituent_unit_...
_as_''Cill_Mobhí''_(Church_of_Mobhí)._Mobhí_Clárainech.html" ;"title="Irish_language.html" "title="Kilcashel_Stone_Fort.html" ;"title="Iron_Age.html" ;"title="-.
The parish of Kilmovee has several Iron Age">-.
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The parish of Kilmovee has several Iron Age">-.
The parish of Kilmovee has several Iron Age stone forts in various states, including Kilcashel Stone Fort.
Built heritage
;The Glebe
The residence of the Protestant Rector for Ballaghaderreen. When the French army was marching east from Killala to Longford, the battalion came through Kilmovee to cross the River Lung. Local farmers joined the battalion to fight off the enemy. When the battalion was defeated, the local farmers’ lands were confiscated and given to the Protestant Church.
;Church of Mobhí
Kilmovee is known in Irish language">Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
as ''Cill Mobhí'' (Church of Mobhí). Mobhí Clárainech">Mobhí () was known as "Mobhí the Teacher" and is believed to have died in 544 AD. The name Mobhí is a pet form of the name ''Berchán''. A pestilence which devastated Ireland in 544 caused the dispersion of Mobhi's disciples, and Columba returned to Ulster.
;Old RIC Barrack
According to the 1901 Census of the United Kingdom there were three Royal Irish Constabulary barracks in the parish of Kilmovee; one in Kilkelly, one at Rathnagussaun and one at Sraheens. The Barracks at Sraheens is still standing though now derelict. During the War of Independence, in June 1921, the RIC barracks at Sraheens was subjected to sniper fire from the Kilkelly Company of the East Mayo
under the command of Mick Moffett. One
soldier was wounded during the operation and as a result the barracks was abandoned.
In 1975, Kilmovee teacher Seosamh Mac Gabhann set up a Senior Céilí Band in Kilmovee, named Ceoltóirí Mobhí. The band gained recognition with two of their jigs, known as "The Kilmovee Jigs". In 1977 one of the first rural swimming pools in Ireland was opened in Kilmovee.
An annual charity running event, the Kilmovee 10K began in April 2010. It has been called "the flattest 10k in Ireland" and has attracted runners from all over the country.
club. The Shamrocks have competed in county and regional competitions. Some of these club's
players have won All-Ireland titles with the Mayo senior and minor teams and at other levels. Kilmovee GAA won the under-21 Mayo final in September 2007 for the first time. The Shamrocks also won the Under 18 title for the third time in a row in October 2007.