Ardpatrick

Ardpatrick (Irish: Ard Pádraig, meaning "Patrick's height") is a small village in Limerick, Ireland. It lies at the foot of the north slopes of the Ballyhoura Mountains, on the edge of the Golden Vale. As of the 2006 census, it had a population of 398.[1]

For Thoroughbred racehorse, see Ard Patrick. For the village in Scotland, see Ardpatrick, Argyll.
Ruins of a round tower in Ardpatrick

It was anciently known as Tulach na Féinne [Hill of the Fianna].[2]

About an hour from both Cork and Shannon airports, the village comprises a small number of houses around the parish church. At the south end of the village is a memorial garden and tourist information. Each summer there is a 3-day Festival na Fianna. The Greenwood, just to the south of the village gives access to walking trails across the countryside.

History

On the hill above the village is the site of a 5th-century monastery and round tower or cloictheach, now in ruins. Legend tells of a peal of 7 silver bells which once hung in the tower. The monastery was reputedly founded by St. Patrick himself and is surrounded by earthworks probably far more ancient. From the hill can be seen Castle Oliver, a 19th-century mansion built by the Oliver Gascoignes, an Anglo-Irish family. Its fine stained glass windows, which feature the life of St.Patrick, have recently been restored. It was formerly joined with neighboring parish Kilfinane.

Common surnames

According to the censuses of 1901 and 1911, common surnames in Ardpatrick included: Murphy, O’Sullivan, McCarthy, O’Connell, Walsh, Ryan, Barrett, Fitzgerald, Hayes, Sullivan, Carroll, Dunworth, O’Donnell, O’Shea, Clery, Lyons, O’Brien, Bourke, Connell, Quillinan, Tobin, Treacy, Burke, McGrath, O’Leary.

See also

References
  1. CSO.ie - 2006 Census - Preliminary Report (Table 4 page 61) Archived March 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Acallam na Senórach, Colloquy of the Ancients, Standish Hayes O'Grady, pg 20.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.