Connello Upper is a barony of County Limerick, in the historical province of Munster (Irish: Conallaigh Uachtaracha), covering 248 km² of land. The barony records 566 NMS archaeological sites and 111 NIAH listed buildings, placing it at around the 66th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the upper half of all baronies for sites per km². Dated archaeological evidence runs from the Neolithic through to the Post Medieval, spanning 7 of 9 archaeological periods, placing the barony in the 43rd percentile among 280 ROI baronies for chronological depth. This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for chronological depth. The largest dated subset of recorded sites dates to the Early Medieval. Logainm flags 36 placenames in the barony as carrying a recognised heritage root; the largest share — around 64% — are names associated with early Christian church and monastic foundations.
Heritage at a glance
Percentile rankings throughout this profile compare each barony only against the other 279 Republic of Ireland baronies.
The recorded heritage of Connello Upper
The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) is the statutory inventory of archaeological sites for the Republic of Ireland, maintained by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Sites recorded here include earthworks, ringforts, megalithic tombs, ecclesiastical remains, and post-medieval features; not every record is legally protected, but each is registered as a monument of archaeological interest.
The National Monuments Service records 566 archaeological sites in Connello Upper, putting it at the 66th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the upper half of all baronies for sites per km². Protection coverage is near-universal — 544 sites (96%) fall within a recorded monument protection zone, indicating an extensively surveyed landscape. The dominant category is defensive sites — ringforts, enclosures, hillforts, and stone forts (439 sites, 78% of the record). Ringfort – rath is the most prevalent type, making up 53% of the barony's recorded sites (301 records) — well above the ROI average of 20% across all baronies where this type occurs. Ringfort – rath is an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD. Other significant types include Enclosure (76) and Moated site (26). Enclosure is a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence. Across the barony's 248 km², this gives a recorded density of 2.29 sites per km².
Most common monument types
Hover or tap a monument type to see its definition.
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Ringfort – rath an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD | 301 |
| Enclosure a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence | 76 |
| Moated site | 26 |
| Ritual site – holy well a well or spring traditionally associated with a saint, often credited with healing properties; many trace earlier ritual origins but devotion is documented from the medieval period onwards | 18 |
| Earthwork an unclassified earthen structure with no diagnostic features that allow a more specific classification | 14 |
| Church a building used for public Christian worship, of any date from c. 500 AD onwards | 13 |
| Fulacht fia a horseshoe-shaped Bronze Age burnt mound built around a sunken trough beside a water source, traditionally interpreted as a cooking site | 13 |
| Graveyard a burial area associated with a church, in use from the medieval period onwards | 11 |
Chronological distribution
The dated archaeological record for Connello Upper spans from the Neolithic through to the Post Medieval, with activity attested across 7 of 9 archaeological periods. Every period from earliest to latest is represented in the record — an unbroken sequence of dated activity across the full chronological span. Activity concentrates most heavily in the Early Medieval (231 sites, 45% of dated material), with the Iron Age forming a secondary peak (202 sites, 39%). A further 53 recorded sites (9% of the overall NMS register for the barony) carry no period attribution — appearing as 'Unknown' in the bar chart below. This typically reflects either records that pre-date the standardised period vocabulary or sites awaiting specialist dating review, rather than a genuine absence of chronological evidence.
Sample of recorded monuments
Show 25 sample monuments (of 566 total)
A representative sample of 25 recorded monuments drawn from the barony’s 566 total NMS entries. Sites within a recorded monument protection zone and rarer site types are prioritised so the list shows a meaningful cross-section rather than only the most common type. Each entry shows the official Sites and Monuments Record reference number and the description published by the National Monuments Service.
Country house
17th century house described by the National Inventory of Heritage as a 'Detached five-bay three-storey house, built in 1683, and remodelled in the late nineteenth century. Comprising single-bay two-storey addition to…
17th century house described by the National Inventory of Heritage as a 'Detached five-bay three-storey house, built in 1683, and remodelled in the late nineteenth century. Comprising single-bay two-storey addition to south elevation, built in 1890 with Dutch gable to roofline, porch to front (west) elevation and two-bay three-storey return to rear (east) elevation. Pitched slate roofs having rendered chimneystacks. Roughcast rendered walls with render stringcourse to addition, painted stone date plaque and recessed cross motif over date plaque to Dutch gable. Render copings to Dutch gable. Square-headed openings with replacement uPVC windows and painted stone sills. Square-headed opening to porch having half-glazed timber panelled door. Render over rubble stone boundary walls to west with pedestrian entrance comprising pair of square-profile rendered piers having urn finials and pedimented entrance with square-headed replacement timber battened door. Limestone steps to entrance' (www.buildingsofireland.ie; Reg. No. 21827003)
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 21 August 2012
Religious house – Franciscan Third Order Regular
Kilshane abbey described by Westropp (1904-5, 409-10) as a 'Monastery of St. John of the Third Order of St. Francis, 1410. It was founded for conventual Franciscans by FitzGerald, of Clenlis (Cleanglass). Gerot Baluff…
Kilshane abbey described by Westropp (1904-5, 409-10) as a 'Monastery of St. John of the Third Order of St. Francis, 1410. It was founded for conventual Franciscans by FitzGerald, of Clenlis (Cleanglass). Gerot Baluff f. Philip held "the patronage of the religious house of St. Francis, called Kilshane, with a water-mill [LI029-116—-] in Ballingarry, and part of Kilnemona, in Clonkath," when he joined the rebellion, 1584 (Inq., No. 54). It has been confused with the Cistercian cell of Kilshanny, County Clare. According to Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 138-9) a Cistercian monastery was founded at Kilshane in 1198 by Donnchad Cairbreach O'Brien, King of Limerick. It failed shortly after its establishment, and later in the fifteenth century it became a Franciscan foundation for the brethren of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis (ibid., 273).
Fabric – In 1840 there stood a nave and choir, 39 feet [12m] by 19 feet [5.8m], and 33½ feet [10m] by 19 feet 8 inches [6m], with a tower 60 feet [18m] high, on two pointed arches, 15 feet [4.5m] high at the intersection. The tower had ogee-headed lights and an oblong ope under the weather-ledge of the nave roof. The east window was large and pointed, but the sill was destroyed. The north wall was 17 feet [5.2m] high and 2 feet 9 inches [0.84m] thick; it had a breach and a lintelled door. Only a few feet of the south wall, with a defaced door, remained near the belfry. The west end of the nave was down, and only 11 feet [3.35m] of the…
Mill – unclassified
On WNW-facing side of valley, in garden area to W of stone-built house. Monument, depicted as 'old mill' on 1841 OS 6-inch map, has been levelled; no visible surface trace evident, however this area is masked by dense…
On WNW-facing side of valley, in garden area to W of stone-built house. Monument, depicted as 'old mill' on 1841 OS 6-inch map, has been levelled; no visible surface trace evident, however this area is masked by dense vegetation overgrowth.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Megalithic tomb – wedge tomb
See linked document with details from Ruaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume IV. Counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1982)
Date of…
See linked document with details from Ruaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume IV. Counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1982)
Date of upload: 4 January 2012
Religious house – unclassified
In pasture, on N-facing slope. Site marked as rectangular structure on 1924 OS 6-inch map now reduced to sod-covered mound (18m E-W; 10.6m N-S), roughly rectangular in plan except for D-shaped 'bite' near W end of N…
In pasture, on N-facing slope. Site marked as rectangular structure on 1924 OS 6-inch map now reduced to sod-covered mound (18m E-W; 10.6m N-S), roughly rectangular in plan except for D-shaped 'bite' near W end of N side; latter area used as dump for field-clearance stones. Western end (max. H 1.05m) higher than E end (H 0.6m). Line of six stones (L 3.1m) along top edge of mound, near E end of S side, may be remains of wall face. There are no records of a religious foundation here (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 366). Westropp (1904-5) noted tradition that majority of building fell 'in the gale on Little Christmas night, 1839'; in his time the remains consisted of '15 feet of the west end and 32 feet of the south wall, with a door, 4 feet wide, and a recess for a stoup. The foundations are 70 feet long, externally; the breadth not measurable. Other foundations run to the north and east, and form an enclosure, 115 feet by 60 feet, and extend for 50 feet to the north of the west fragments.'
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Penitential station
In pasture. No extant trace of 'a remarkable stone surrounded by Brushwood' (OSNB No. 86, 192). Field boundaries to E and W of site have been removed. Single ash tree in field known locally as "St. Patrick's Tree";…
In pasture. No extant trace of 'a remarkable stone surrounded by Brushwood' (OSNB No. 86, 192). Field boundaries to E and W of site have been removed. Single ash tree in field known locally as "St. Patrick's Tree"; here, according to local tradition, St Patrick killed the last snake in Ireland. Traditionally associated with St Patrick's Well (LI037-02506-) located c. 1,000m to SE (O Danachair 1955, 204).
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Building
In reclaimed pasture, at N end of hill crest with commanding view in all directions. Low semi-circular sod-covered mound extending c. 15m from E side of N-S field fence; some large stones scattered on W side of fence…
In reclaimed pasture, at N end of hill crest with commanding view in all directions. Low semi-circular sod-covered mound extending c. 15m from E side of N-S field fence; some large stones scattered on W side of fence may be derived from former structure. Described by Fitzgerald and McGregor (1826, 381) as 'Jackson's Turret … formerly the residence of Mr. Jackson … this turret was a fine object to the surrounding country, but it is now nearly in ruins having been struck by lightning some years ago'; according to OSNB (vol. 1, 250) there was 'a notable old chimney in this turret of about 50 feet high in ruins'(sic); Westropp (1906-7, 226) noted a Miles Jackson 'holding land here in 1655'.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Settlement deserted – medieval
No visible surface trace of medieval borough (Bradley et al. 1989, 96-7), known as Corkmoy or Corkemoyth, located somewhere in vicinity of hall house (LI038-106004-), motte (LI038-106005-), and church (LI038-106003-).…
No visible surface trace of medieval borough (Bradley et al. 1989, 96-7), known as Corkmoy or Corkemoyth, located somewhere in vicinity of hall house (LI038-106004-), motte (LI038-106005-), and church (LI038-106003-). Settlement probably began after market grant of 1284, but nothing is known of its history after mid-14th century (ibid.).
Described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 96-7) as following; 'Castletown Conyers is located in south Limerick midway between Newcastle West and Kilmallock. This now deserted borough was known in the Middle Ages as "Corkmoy" or "Corkemoyth" but after its purchase by Captain Conyers in 1703 it has been called after that family (Westropp 1906-7, 229; 1904-5, 416-7). The manor seems to have been in the hands of the Fitzmaurices from an early stage in the Anglo-Norman conquest. In 1276 the manor was granted by Maurice FitzMaurice to his son-in-law, Thomas de Clare who brought new energy into the Anglo-Norman settlement of Limerick and Clare (Westropp, ibid.). In 1284 he was granted the right to hold a weekly market at his manor of "Corkmoy" and this presumably marks the beginnings of the borough settlement also (Sweetman 1875-86, ii, no. 2283). In the inquisition taken after the death of the last of the de Clare’s in 1321 it was stated that the burgesses of Corkmoid paid £4 2s annually in rents (Cal. Inquis. post mortem vi,160). Subsequently the manor passed to the Clifford family who held it during the middle of the fo…
Stone row
Stone row discovered during fieldwork in Co. Limerick.
Compiled by: Fiona Rooney
Date of upload: 27 April 2021
Bullaun stone
Discovered in 1999 during compilation of an Environmental Impact Statement in advance of proposed quarry development (Gregory 2000). Lying adjacent to field boundary is oval granite boulder (2.3m x 1.4m x 0.85m) with…
Discovered in 1999 during compilation of an Environmental Impact Statement in advance of proposed quarry development (Gregory 2000). Lying adjacent to field boundary is oval granite boulder (2.3m x 1.4m x 0.85m) with flat upper surface in which is cut a U-shaped oval hollow (D 0.21m; opening: 0.48m x 0.4m). There are three other possible deliberate depressions but all very shallow and indistinct.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Castle – Anglo-Norman masonry castle
Bruree Castle described in 1826 as ' the ruins of a curious fortress, consisting of three strong castles on the river, one entirely dilapidated; these are surrounded with a very lofty wall, with ramparts and battlements…
Bruree Castle described in 1826 as ' the ruins of a curious fortress, consisting of three strong castles on the river, one entirely dilapidated; these are surrounded with a very lofty wall, with ramparts and battlements constructed of large blocks of grit, with which all the castle and old churches on each side of the Maig from this place to the Shannon, have been constructed. The wall is more than 120 yards in circumference; one of the castles is in high preservation, and in it are two strong cells, which according to tradition were used as prisons by O'Donovan' (Fitzgerald 1826, 371-2). In 1840 the Ordnance Survey recorded the following; ‘The Castle called Lower Bruree is situated in the Town land of Lower Lotteragh over the bank of the River Maigue. It is a very curious fortress consisting of a strong and high circular wall, on which originally stood three towers of great height and strength. This wall is one hundred and fifty feet [45.7m] in diameter and five feet four inches [1.6m] in thickness; its greatest height at present is twenty four feet [7.3m], which is on the east side over the river, but it is not near this height on the north side. The tower which is on the east side of this circle is in tolerable preservation, but the one on the north west side is much injured and the one which stood at the south side is now totally destroyed. The tower at the east side is about sixty feet [18.3m] in height, nineteen feet [5.8m] in breadth on the outside from east t…
Settlement cluster
An archaeological excavation by Kenneth Wiggins (00E0912) between 1December 2000 and January 2001 investigated the remains of five structures which turned out to be recent in date and of no archaeological…
An archaeological excavation by Kenneth Wiggins (00E0912) between 1December 2000 and January 2001 investigated the remains of five structures which turned out to be recent in date and of no archaeological significance.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 28 February 2013
House – 18th/19th century
National monument No. 576. This small cottage, built by Kilmallock Poor Law Union after the 1883 Act, is the childhood home of Eamon de Valera (1882-1975), former Taoiseach and President of Ireland. Described by the…
National monument No. 576. This small cottage, built by Kilmallock Poor Law Union after the 1883 Act, is the childhood home of Eamon de Valera (1882-1975), former Taoiseach and President of Ireland. Described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (Reg. No. 21903913) as follows: 'Detached three-bay single-storey labourer's cottage, built c. 1885. Pitched slate roof with rendered chimneystacks and cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered walls. Square-headed openings having two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows and concrete sills. Square-headed openings to north and south elevations with one-over-one pane timber sliding sash windows and concrete sills. Square-headed opening having timber battened half-door with recent timber gablet over. Single-bay single-storey outbuilding to south having pitched slate roof. Rendered walls. Square-headed opening with timber battened door. Limestone cobbles to east. Rubble limestone walls to site having single-leaf cast-iron gate to south.'
Compiled by: Paul Walsh
Date of upload: 25 August 2015
Burnt mound
In conifer plantation, 80m NE of townland boundary with Kells. Not marked on OSi historic maps. Burnt mound identified during afforestation works by Matt Kelleher in 2015 and described as a level spread of burnt mound…
In conifer plantation, 80m NE of townland boundary with Kells. Not marked on OSi historic maps. Burnt mound identified during afforestation works by Matt Kelleher in 2015 and described as a level spread of burnt mound material (dims. c. 3m x 3m; 0.1m below sod; max. diam. c. 7-10m) comprised of charcoal stained soil with inclusions of heat-shattered stone. No surface remains visible on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-2013 and on Google Earth orthoimages.
See attached Google Earth orthoimage
Compiled by: Fiona Rooney
Date of upload: 11 November 2021
Barrow – ditch barrow
In poorly drained rough grassland. Ringfort (LI037-114—-) 55m to NNE Faint cropmark of small circular-shaped area (approx. diam. 11m) defined by a ditch visible on Digital Globe orthophoto taken 2011-13. …
In poorly drained rough grassland. Ringfort (LI037-114—-) 55m to NNE Faint cropmark of small circular-shaped area (approx. diam. 11m) defined by a ditch visible on Digital Globe orthophoto taken 2011-13.
Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien
Date of upload: 31 May 2020
Enclosure – large enclosure
In pasture, curving field boundary to N marks townland boundary with Dunnaman. Outline of large enclosure (approx. int. diam. 85m E-W; 75m N-S) visible on OSi orthophoto taken 2005-12 and Google Earth orthoimage taken…
In pasture, curving field boundary to N marks townland boundary with Dunnaman. Outline of large enclosure (approx. int. diam. 85m E-W; 75m N-S) visible on OSi orthophoto taken 2005-12 and Google Earth orthoimage taken 28/06/2018.
See attached Google Earth orthoimage taken 28/06/2018
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Edmond O'Donovan
Date of upload: 25 September 2020
Sweathouse
Situated on W side of farmhouse, adjacent to haggard area. Present remains consist of the poorly preserved scrub-covered lower walls (max. H 1.5m) of a sweathouse with entrance visible. Site inaccessible at time of…
Situated on W side of farmhouse, adjacent to haggard area. Present remains consist of the poorly preserved scrub-covered lower walls (max. H 1.5m) of a sweathouse with entrance visible. Site inaccessible at time of visit.
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Micheál Mac Gearailt
Date of upload: 11 December 2020
Ringfort – unclassified
In undulating pasture, located 200m S of the townland boundary with Baurnalicka. Finniterstown House lies 280m to the SW. The site is depicted as a circular fort (ext. diam. c. 35m) on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. A…
In undulating pasture, located 200m S of the townland boundary with Baurnalicka. Finniterstown House lies 280m to the SW. The site is depicted as a circular fort (ext. diam. c. 35m) on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. A trigonometrical station is shown on its N bank suggesting that the site is located on a high point in the field. The map shows three small farm buildings abutting the S and SW edge of the enclosure. The monument and the outbuildings are not depicted on the 1897 ed. OS 25-inch map which indicates that the monument was levelled between these dates. The field is visible on Google Earth orthoimages taken 28/06/2018 and 14/02/2020.
See attached Google Earth orthoimages
Compiled by: Edmond O’Donovan
Date of upload: 12 August 2020
Designed landscape feature
Depicted on the 1840 OS map as a circular feature (diam. c. 20m) immediately in front of Granard House. There is no no evident trace of this feature; according to the landowner this was a circular garden…
Depicted on the 1840 OS map as a circular feature (diam. c. 20m) immediately in front of Granard House. There is no no evident trace of this feature; according to the landowner this was a circular garden feature.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of Upload: 9 August 2012
Ringfort – unclassified
In flat pasture abutting the townland boundary with Lisamota to the SW. Located 165m N of t a Children’s Burial Ground (LI030-031002-). The site is depicted as a circular enclosure on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. Not…
In flat pasture abutting the townland boundary with Lisamota to the SW. Located 165m N of t a Children’s Burial Ground (LI030-031002-). The site is depicted as a circular enclosure on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. Not shown on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map. The curving W side of the enclosure survives in a field boundary visible on the OSi orthoimage taken 2005-12 and on the Digital Globe orthoimages taken 2011-2013. The levelled monument (ext. diam. c. 32m N-S; 27m E-W) is faintly visible on the Google Earth orthoimage taken 29/03/2012 and 28/06/2018.
See attached Google Earth orthoimages
Compiled by: Edmond O’Donovan
Date of upload: 25 September 2020
Designed landscape feature
Immediately S of Ballynakill House. Though depiction of site on OS 6-inch map suggests square enclosure feature is croquet lawn for adjacent country house. Now used as paddock for horses.
Compiled by: Denis…
Immediately S of Ballynakill House. Though depiction of site on OS 6-inch map suggests square enclosure feature is croquet lawn for adjacent country house. Now used as paddock for horses.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Windmill
At N end of summit of limestone ridge. According to local information tall circular tower demolished c. 1995. Area where tower stood now much disturbed- it lies c. 30m from edge of active stone quarry; no surviving…
At N end of summit of limestone ridge. According to local information tall circular tower demolished c. 1995. Area where tower stood now much disturbed- it lies c. 30m from edge of active stone quarry; no surviving remains of structure identified. Similar windmill (LI030-045—), c. 250m to SSE, also demolished c. 1995. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that LT. Coll. William Piggott was the owner of Kilfinny which contained 'a castle [LI030-048—-] an orchard and a mill seate [LI030-043/-45—-]' (Simington 1938, 289).
Westropp (1906-7, 221-2) recorded the Kilfinny windmill; 'Jan., 1642. The C[astle]. was besieged by the Confederates under Edy Lacy, of Bruree, who laid an ambuscade, but was driven off by ten "mosceters" on a windmill. Gen. Purcell next arrived, who took the mill and barns, whence he was driven, and the buildings were burned in a sally, 8th and 9th. Ric. Stephenson, the sheriff, next assailed the C[astle]. and was shot. An attempt was made to capture it by "sows," but they were pierced through. It was then so loosely blockaded that Lady Dowdall relieved Croom five times from it. The surrender of Limerick C[astle]. gave heavy guns to the Confederates, so that Purcell, with a great force, assailed Kilfinny. After three shots Lady Dowdall surrendered, and was brought off safely by Lord Inchiquin (Hist. Irish Confeds. ii., p. 69, Deps. 138, 376). 1655 Killfinie C[astle]. orchard, and mill seat held by Gerott FitzGarrold (C.S., p. 46)'.
Compi…
Windmill
At S end of summit of limestone ridge. According to local information tall circular stone-built tower demolished c. 1995. Now reduced to mound of rubble (c. 8m N-S; c. 6m E-W; H c. 1m). Similar windmill, c. 250m to NNW…
At S end of summit of limestone ridge. According to local information tall circular stone-built tower demolished c. 1995. Now reduced to mound of rubble (c. 8m N-S; c. 6m E-W; H c. 1m). Similar windmill, c. 250m to NNW (LI030-043—), also demolished c. 1995. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that LT. Coll. William Piggott was the owner of Kilfinny which contained 'a castle [LI030-048—-] an orchard and a mill seate [LI030-043/-45—-]' (Simington 1938, 289). Westropp (1906-7, 221-2) recorded the Kilfinny windmill; 'Jan., 1642. The C[astle]. was besieged by the Confederates under Edy Lacy, of Bruree, who laid an ambuscade, but was driven off by ten "mosceters" on a windmill. Gen. Purcell next arrived, who took the mill and barns, whence he was driven, and the buildings were burned in a sally, 8th and 9th. Ric. Stephenson, the sheriff, next assailed the C[astle]. and was shot. An attempt was made to capture it by "sows," but they were pierced through. It was then so loosely blockaded that Lady Dowdall relieved Croom five times from it. The surrender of Limerick C[astle]. gave heavy guns to the Confederates, so that Purcell, with a great force, assailed Kilfinny. After three shots Lady Dowdall surrendered, and was brought off safely by Lord Inchiquin (Hist. Irish Confeds. ii., p. 69, Deps. 138, 376). 1655 Killfinie C[astle]. orchard, and mill seat held by Gerott FitzGarrold (C.S., p. 46)'.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Castle – hall-house
Kilfinny Castle and bawn (LI030-048001-) described in 1840 as follows; 'said to have been built in the reign of king John by Cormac Mac Eniry, one of the ancient chiefs of Corcomohid, whose principal seat was at…
Kilfinny Castle and bawn (LI030-048001-) described in 1840 as follows; 'said to have been built in the reign of king John by Cormac Mac Eniry, one of the ancient chiefs of Corcomohid, whose principal seat was at Castletown Mac Eniry it was forfeited in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and was beseiged by the Irish under Col. Purcell in 1641 It is said to have been last inhabited by Lady Dowdall. Its remains consist of 2 quadrilateral towers and a Court. The towers, standing, at the N. and S. ends of the Court, are roughly 20 ft. [6m] by 8½ ft. [2.6m], and contained 2 arched floors, over which were 2 other stories, 4 stories in all. The Court measures 32 ft. [9.75m] by 20 ft. [6m], and contains one arched floor, end over this 2 stories, 3 stories in all. Its walls are about 35 ft. [10.6m] high and 3½ ft. [1m] in thickness' (OSNB Kilfinny Parish, 949)
Castle described in the Ordnance Survey Letters as; 'The Castle of Kilfinny lies about a quarter of a mile south of the old Church and in the Townland of Kilfinny. It consists of two quadrangular towers and court. The tower which lies to the south measures twenty feet by eight and a half feet and contains two arched floors over which there are two other stories, in all four stories. It is about forty five feet high, the walls being three and a half feet in thickness. North of this tower and attached to it is the Court, which measures thirty two feet by twenty feet and contains one arched floor and over this two stories, in a…
Ringfort – rath
In tillage, at base of NW-facing slope. Roughly circular area (26m E-W; c. 30m N-S) enclosed by earth-and-stone bank (int. H 0.35m; ext. H 0.6m) NE->SSE, and defined by scarped edge (H 0.15m) SSE->WSW; enclosing element…
In tillage, at base of NW-facing slope. Roughly circular area (26m E-W; c. 30m N-S) enclosed by earth-and-stone bank (int. H 0.35m; ext. H 0.6m) NE->SSE, and defined by scarped edge (H 0.15m) SSE->WSW; enclosing element hidden by dense overgrowth WSW->NE. Field clearance stones have been dumped along foot of scarp at S and along external base of bank at NE. Gap in bank at E (Wth 2.1m). Interior covered by dense scrub. Site is depicted on 1841 OS 6-inch map as area planted with trees within demesne of Ballyknockane House. According to local information was once used as a burial ground.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
See attached ASI aerial photographs ASIAP – taken on 04/03/2006.
Listed buildings
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a state survey appraising buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure receives a rating from International (the highest, for buildings of European importance) through National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only.
The NIAH records 111 listed buildings in Connello Upper (55th percentile across ROI baronies). All recorded buildings carry Regional or lower grading; the barony does not contain any structures appraised as being of National or International architectural importance. Construction dates concentrate most heavily in the Victorian (1830-1900) period. The most-recorded building type is house (41 examples, 37% of the listed stock).
Terrain and environment
Mean elevation across the barony is 94m — the 54th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for elevation. This means it is in the upper half of all baronies for elevation. Elevation matters for heritage because higher-altitude baronies typically favour defensive monuments — ringforts and hilltop forts placed on prominent ground — while lowland baronies are more likely to carry the dense settlement and church networks of intensive agricultural landscapes. A maximum elevation of 283m gives the barony meaningful vertical relief. Mean slope is 2.7° — the 32nd percentile among 280 ROI baronies for slope. This means it is in the bottom third of all baronies for slope. Slope is a key control on both land use and archaeological preservation: steep ground resists ploughing and tends to preserve earthworks intact, while gentle slopes favour intensive cultivation that damages or destroys surface archaeology over time. The Topographic Wetness Index averages 11.4, the 69th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for wetness. This means it is in the top third of all baronies for wetness. Drainage matters for heritage because poorly-drained ground preserves organic archaeology (wooden trackways, leather, textiles, and on rare occasions human remains) far better than free-draining soil; well-drained ground favours arable use but destroys organic material rapidly. The land cover is dominated by improved grassland (89%) and woodland (9%).
Terrain measurements
Where this barony sits in the Republic of Ireland
Geology and preservation
Bedrock geology shapes the landscape long before any settlement begins — controlling soil drainage, agricultural potential, the survival of upstanding monuments, and the preservation of buried archaeology. The figures below come from the Geological Survey Ireland 1:100,000 bedrock map.
The bedrock underlying Connello Upper is predominantly limestone (54% of the barony by area), laid down during the Carboniferous period (79% by area, around 359 to 299 million years ago). Limestone is the most heritage-rich bedrock in Ireland. It supports fertile, well-drained soils that favoured dense Early Medieval settlement and Norman manorial agriculture, and it weathers into karst features — sinkholes, caves, swallow holes, and souterrains — that frequently carry archaeology. Where peat overlies limestone, organic preservation can be exceptional. A substantial secondary geology of red clastics (21%) and sandstone, mudstone, shale (15%) adds further variety to the underlying landscape. The single largest mapped unit is the Ballysteen Formation (32% of the barony's bedrock).
Rock type composition
Largest mapped unit: Ballysteen Formation (32% of the barony)
Placename evidence
Logainm records 36 heritage-diagnostic placenames for Connello Upper, drawn from townland and civil-parish names across the barony. The dominant stratum is Early Christian ecclesiastical — cill-, teampall-, and domhnach-prefixed names that record the dense network of early church foundations established between the fifth and tenth centuries. The leading diagnostic roots are cill- (22 — church), lios- (6 — ringfort or enclosure), and cathair- (2 — stone fort). This is broadly in line with the ROI average of 30.7 heritage placenames per barony. Logainm records 179 placenames for Connello Upper (predominantly townland names). Of these, 36 (20%) carry one of the diagnostic Gaelic roots tracked above; the remainder draw on more generic landscape vocabulary that does not encode a heritage period.
Pre-Christian / Early Medieval Defensive
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lios- | 6 | ringfort or enclosure |
| cathair- | 2 | stone fort |
| ráth- | 1 | earthen ringfort |
| dún- | 1 | hilltop or promontory fort |
Early Christian Ecclesiastical
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cill- | 22 | church (early) |
| teampall- | 1 | church (later medieval) |
Other baronies in Limerick
- Coshma
- Coshlea
- Clanwilliam
- Owneybeg
- Shanid
- North Liberties
- Coonagh
- Islands — Clare
- Carbery East (east Division) — Cork
- Kinatalloon — Cork
See all 280 baronies in the Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.
Explore further
Grounding History: 10 Maps of Northern Ireland’s Past
If you’re interested in Irish heritage more widely, the companion report for Northern Ireland brings together the analysis of all 462 NI wards into one place through 10 high-quality maps — covering monument density, archaeological periods, placename heritage, terrain, wetland, and the historic landscape at first survey. Take a look.
About this profile
Click any section below to expand.
What is a barony?
A barony is a historic administrative unit in Ireland, broadly equivalent to an English hundred. The 280 baronies used here are from the OSi 2019 National Statutory Boundaries (generalised 20m), covering the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland. Baronies derive from the Norman period, were formalised in the 17th century, and have not been redrawn for statistical purposes. They vary enormously in area, from compact urban baronies in Dublin to vast upland baronies in Connacht, and should not be compared by raw site count without accounting for area differences.
What counts as a site?
This profile combines three distinct heritage registers, each with its own definition of what constitutes a recordable site:
- Archaeological sites (NMS). The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) catalogues every known archaeological monument or site of archaeological interest in the Republic, from prehistoric burial mounds and ringforts to medieval churches and post-medieval defensive works. Inclusion does not require legal protection — only that the site has been identified, surveyed, and assessed as having archaeological value. A separate subset of these sites lies within a recorded protection zone, which gives them statutory protection under the National Monuments Acts.
- Listed buildings (NIAH). The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure is appraised on a five-tier scale: International, National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only. The NIAH appraisal is informational rather than strictly statutory, but it underpins local-authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS) listings.
- Heritage placenames (Logainm). Logainm is the authoritative database of Irish placenames maintained by the Placenames Branch. This profile applies a heritage-diagnostic classifier to the Irish-language form of each townland name, flagging roots that signal defensive sites (ráth-, lios-, dún-, caiseal-, cathair-), ecclesiastical foundations (cill-, teampall-, domhnach-, mainistir-), prehistoric burial-ritual features (tuaim-, carn-, leaba-), or Norse-contact settlement (gall-). Townlands without one of these diagnostic roots are not flagged here — they may still carry historical significance, but that significance is not encoded in the name itself.
Editorial principles
The narrative sections of this profile follow several explicit principles:
- Evidential. Every claim about this barony’s heritage character is anchored in the underlying register data. Where a site count, a placename count, or a percentile rank is cited, it is computed from the source datasets at export time, not estimated.
- Comparative. Counts and metrics are reported alongside their percentile rank against the other 279 ROI baronies. A barony with 50 ringforts in absolute terms could be unusually high or unusually low depending on its size and regional context; percentile ranking removes that ambiguity.
- Transparent on limits. Where a register has known coverage gaps, survey biases, or data-quality issues that affect this barony’s figures, the profile flags them rather than presenting the numbers as definitive.
- No interpretation beyond what the data supports. The narrative does not speculate about historical events, social dynamics, or cultural meaning beyond what the recorded heritage and placename evidence directly attests.
Data caveats and limits
- NMS Sites and Monuments Record is the product of survey campaigns conducted at different intensities across different counties and decades. Some baronies have been surveyed more thoroughly than others, and absolute counts should be read in that light. Sites destroyed by development before survey are typically not represented; sites in heavily forested or upland terrain are sometimes under-recorded.
- NIAH coverage is broadly complete for the Republic of Ireland but the survey was conducted on a rolling county-by-county basis, and the most recent appraisal date varies. Buildings demolished or substantially altered after their original survey may still appear in the register; conversely, recent buildings of merit may not yet have been appraised.
- Logainm classification applies a deliberately conservative pattern-matching approach to the Irish-language townland forms. The classifier prioritises true positives over recall: a townland may carry a heritage signal that the classifier doesn’t recognise, particularly where the diagnostic root has been heavily anglicised or where the townland name draws on a less common term. The 60,000+ townland records and ~9,800 classified placenames give a substantial signal at barony scale, but individual townland names should be checked against Logainm directly for definitive interpretation.
- Period attribution. The chronological distribution reflects only those NMS sites that carry a recognised period attribution in the source data. Sites listed as “Unknown” period are excluded from the dated subset.
- Boundary changes. Some baronies have undergone minor boundary adjustments since their 19th-century definition; the OSi 2019 generalised boundaries used here are the current statutory definition and may differ slightly from historical maps in border areas.
- Bedrock geology is mapped at 1:100,000 scale, which means local variation within a barony — small pockets of different rock type, mineral veins, alluvium overlying bedrock — is generalised. The dominant-system and rocktype figures are area-weighted, so a barony reading “70% Carboniferous limestone” may still contain small but archaeologically important pockets of older or younger rock. Around 3% of GSI polygons do not match the lexicon and contribute no rocktype or system attribution.
Data sources
- National Monuments Service — Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-monuments-service-archaeological-survey-of-ireland
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-inventory-of-architectural-heritage-niah-national-dataset
- Logainm — Placenames Database of Ireland https://www.logainm.ie/
- Ordnance Survey Ireland — National Statutory Barony Boundaries 2019 https://data-osi.opendata.arcgis.com/
- EURODEM — European Digital Elevation Model https://www.mapsforeurope.org/datasets/euro-dem
- ESA WorldCover https://esa-worldcover.org/en
- Geological Survey Ireland — 1:100,000 Bedrock Geology https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/data-and-maps/Pages/Bedrock.aspx
Explore more: Search any of the 280 ROI baronies, browse by historical province, or read the methodology and data sources for the full Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.