Quilty (), historically ''Killty'', is a small

fishing village A fishing village is a village, usually located near a fishing ground, with an economy based on catching fish and harvesting seafood. The continents and islands around the world have coastlines totalling around 356,000 kilometres (221,000 ...

between

Milltown Malbay Milltown Malbay (), also Miltown Malbay, is a town in the west of County Clare, Ireland, near Spanish Point, County Clare, Spanish Point. The population was 921 at the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census. Name There is a townland on the souther ...

and Doonbeg in

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. Lobster, salmon, bass, herring and mackerel are landed at Quilty, formerly known for its curing industry. The area was officially classified as part of the west Clare

Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...

, an

Irish-speaking Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...

community, until 1956. The local Catholic church, belonging to Kilmurry Ibrickane parish, has a round tower which is visible from the surrounding countryside. It was built in remembrance of the ''Leon XIII'' rescue.

History

Mutton Island

Across the bay from Quilty is Mutton Island. Saint Senan founded a church here in the early 6th century but by 1887 little remained except the Bed of St Senan, a shattered cross and a gable of his oratory. A signal tower built in the early 19th century was designed to give warning of invasion during the

Napoleonic period The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and history of Europe, Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly (French Revoluti ...

but was also used by the coastguard to prevent smuggling. In the early 20th century Mutton Island was used as a prison; during certain tidal conditions, it is possible to walk along a path of limestone from Seafield (near Quilty) to Mutton Island.

Tromoroe Castle

Tromoroe Castle lies about 3 km from the village. It witnessed a number of battles in the 16th century, the most notable when Teigh Caech McMahon with the help of the Earl of Desmond stormed the castle on 17 February 1599. The next attack was by O'Flaherty from Connacht on 1 May 1642, when Peter Ward, his wife and heir were slain.

''Leon XIII''

On 2 October 1907 a French three-masted

full-rigged ship A full-rigged ship or fully rigged ship is a sailing ship, sailing vessel with a sail plan of three or more mast (sailing), masts, all of them square rig, square-rigged. Such a vessel is said to have a ship rig or be ship-rigged, with each mas ...

, the ''Leon XIII'', was driven up on rocky reefs in Quilty Bay. All seemed lost for the ship and crew. The local fishermen, however, went out to sea in their

currach A currach ( ) is a type of Irish boat with a wooden frame, over which animal skins or hides were once stretched, though now canvas is more usual. It is sometimes anglicised as "curragh". The construction and design of the currach are unique ...

s – risking the equinoctial gales and Atlantic breakers in small open boats. They reached the wreck and managed to save the crew and bring them safely ashore. The porch of Quilty's Catholic church contains a replica of the ''Leon XIII'' in a glass bottle, and the ship's bell stands in front of the church altar. Quilty Church porch curraghs launched.jpg, Curraghs launched Quilty Church porch right window curragh moving to Leon XIII.jpg, Curragh moving to Leon XIII.jpg Altar and Leon XIII bell.jpg, Altar and Leon XIII bell Bottled model of the Leon XIII present in the church porch.jpg, Bottled model of the Leon XIII present in the church porch Life buoy Leon XIII present in church porch.jpg, Life buoy Leon XIII present in church porch

Sport

In the 1970s, Quilty GAA club amalgamated with Kilmurry Ibrickane GAA club. The club kept the name Kilmurry-Ibrickane GAA but started playing at the former club grounds in the village.Kilmurry-Ibrickane Millenium Magazine, p. 222

Notable people

* Patricia Morrissey -

Camogie Camogie ( ; ) is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and worldwide, largely among Irish communities. A variant of the game "hurling" (which is played by men only), it is organised ...

player

References

{{County Clare Towns and villages in County Clare