Then & Now: Little village in the heart of West Limerick

KILMEEDY IS an old West Limerick village, situated six miles south-east of Newcastle West, five miles north of Dromcollogher and eleven miles west of Bruree. It has been described as a village at a crossroads. In fact, five roads radiate from it with four roads branching off from the slightly staggered crossroads in the centre of the village. One of the roads runs west to Newcastle West, one north to Rathkeale, and one east to Castletown. The fourth road which runs south bifurcates (forked or divided into two branches) just beyond the Catholic church, one arm of the fork going towards Feenagh and Dromcollogher, the other towards Broadford.

Kilmeedy is a village that provides some pretty views. To the south and the southwest the rich well sheltered farmland falls away to the plain of the Bonoke river, then rises abruptly into the beautiful Mullaghareirk range of hills that stretch along the Cork/Limerick border. And as you set out along the Newcastle West Road you will notice on your right, just beyond the village, a long brown hill covered with furze and bracken. In season, when the furze is in bloom, the hills look very lovely in its covering of golden blooms.

This hill is the western extremity of the forested Corronoher ridge, which runs eastward, past Heathfield towards Castletown, rising to almost 900 feet at its highest point. And there is a hill immediately north of Kilmeedy, again part of the Corronoher ridge, on which stands a very tall white cross, that was erected to commemorate the Holy Year in 1950. A very striking view of Kilmeedy is obtained from the vicinity of the cross, for the viewer is looking right down on the village. And the view extends away beyond the village to embrace a great tract of lush, pleasant countryside.

The beginning of the known history of Kilmeedy is indicated in its name. In its original Irish form, the name was Cill Míde, the Church of (St) Míde. But the name Míde is, in fact an abbreviation of Mo Ide, meaning 'My Ide'. Ide was of course, a famous West Limerick saint of the 6th century, who is now better known by the anglicised form of her name, Ita. Both names Kilmeedy and Killeedy, proclaim the same thing: that in both places were churches that had been established by St Ide, or St Ita. Kilmeedy developed as an important village settlement in the Middle Ages.

Kilmeedy Church was erected as a protestant church in 1665, on the site of an earlier foundation dedicated to St Ita and known as Moyalthi in 1302. In 1837 the structure had become so dilapidated that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners were anxious to rebuild it, as it was still resorted to by the Protestant parishioners of both Clooncrew and Kilmeedy according to Samuel Lewis in his Records of Ballingarry, Limerick Diocese 1930. Rev G.F. Hamilton, Rector of Ballingarry, writes that the church was restored in 1837. If so, only the nave was repaired as the tomb of William Hamo de Massy (1821-1848) of Glenwilliam Castle occupied a large section of the chancel eleven years later. This church ruin is surrounded by a large graveyard which is still in use. A new graveyard, dedicated to Naomh Íde, was opened near Tereeg Cross in 1993.

There was a Geraldine castle in Kilmeedy which stood near the old church but no trace of it survives. Towards the end of the 16th century, it was held by a Robert Og Cussen, together with adjoining buildings, orchard, garden and water mill. After the Geraldine rebellion against the English, in which the greater part of Munster was utterly devastated, and in which Robery Og Cussen died, the castle was described as waste and ruinous. Following the defeat of the Munster Geraldines, practically all of their extensive lands in West Limerick were confiscated and granted to an Englishman, Sir William Courtenay.

Limerick author takes another stroll down memory lane

A descendent of this Sir William, George Courtenay, was granted a patent in 1625 for the holding of a Wednesday market and one annual fair in Kilmeedy. The fair was to be held on October 24, with all the usual tools and customs. By the time Ferrar's History of Limerick was published in 1787, two fairs were held each year in Kilmeedy, one on November 7, the other on December 31. In Fitzgerald and Mac Gregor's History of Limerick published in 1827, Kilmeedy is described as a village of thatched houses where four roads meet. A lot of information was sourced from Kilmeedy Remembers published in 1997.

Belville Long Ago by Michael Dwane follows:
I grew up near Belville creamery on the banks of the River Deel
'Twas a Co-op in the parish of Kilmeedy
It was managed by John Sheehan a man as hard as steel
Though gentle with the poor and with the needy.

I went there at the age of twelve, just after confirmation
The war was on. thank God we were not in it
I drove a wicked donkey who oft caused consternation
And Lloyd's milk came from Heathfield with a jennet.

The wet turf had Dan Harrold at his wits end to raise steam
Long queues from Barry's Height to Harrold's Cross
Was it Feohanagh or Kilmeedy had the better hurling team
Paddy Mac and Seanie Enright argued the toss.

Men I have fond memories of Terry Liston and Paddy Gill
Befriended me when I was dressed in duds
Tim Keane, Tom Aherne, and Moss, I miss him still
And Dan Duggan that fine man who sprayed the spuds.

Sediment, Antibiotics, not to mention Methylene Blue
Were strange words that left us all in shock
For to fill our tanks in days of yore, all we had to do
Was wash a strainer , a bucket and a block.

Most of those men and women too have crossed the great divide
May the good Lord grant them eternal Rest
And if our passing Belville, remember them with pride
And pray they all have passed the final test.

The Kilmeedy of today is thriving due to the efforts of the Community Development Group, Tidy Towns etc, who continue to do wonderful work around the village. The opening of Roots Shop and Cafe (volunteer run) is a wonderful amenity for residents. Sean O'Gorman's Rambling House once a month is a great attraction, and sporting interests are well catered for with the other joint parish village Feenagh.