Kilmovee

Infobox Irish Place
name = Kilmovee
gaeilge = Cill Moibhí
crest

motto =
map

pin coords = left: 113px; top: 67px
north coord = 53.88704 | west coord = 8.68784 | irish grid = M545936
area = | elevation = 56 m
province = Connacht
county = County Mayo
population = Kilmovee = 613
Urlaur = 523
Kilkelly = 839
Total = 1975
census yr = 2002
web = kilmovee.mayo-ireland.ie/|

Kilmovee ( _ga. Cill Moibhí) is a parish and village in County Mayo in the West of Ireland. Kilmovee is situated on the R325, approximately midway between Kilkelly and Ballaghadereen.

Kilmovee is a vibrant, friendly and caring community where the traditional values of rural Ireland can still be experienced.
The area suffered terrible deprivation and poverty in centuries past, and in more recent times the ravages of emigration, but the Kilmovee of today is somewhat more prosperous with many fine private houses.

This small rural village opened one of the first rural swimming pools in Ireland in 1977. There is a lively sense of civic pride in the people, with veryactive involvement in local committees.

Kilmovee Shamrocks GAA Club

Kilmovee is home of the famous Kilmovee Shamrocks GAA club. The Shamrocks have competed very successfully in county and regional competitions, with the ladies' team being particularly successful. Some of these ladies have won All-Ireland titles with the Mayo senior and minor teams and at other levels.

The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, has recently turned the first sod in the construction of a new all-weather pitch at Canon Henry Park, which will provide state-of-the-art clubhouse facilities. Much of the money came from government funding.

Kilmovee G.A.A won the under-21 Mayo final in September for the first time with great performances from star players, notably their goalkeeper who helped them to victory. The Shamrocks also won the minor title for the 3rd time in a row in October.

Church of Moibhí

Kilmovee is known in Irish as Cill Móibhí (Church of Moibhí). Moibhí (pronounced IPA| [məˈvʲiː] ) was known as "Moibhí the Teacher" and is believed to have died in 545 AD. The name Moibhí is said to be a pet form of the names "Berchán" and "Brénainn" [http://www3.sympatico.ca/lquirke/irishnames/namesM.html] .

The feast day of Saint Moibhí is 12 October [http://www.namenerds.com/irish/feastday.html] .

St. Mobhi's monastery at Glasnevin was frequented by such famous men as St. Canice, St. Comgall, and St. Ciaran. A pestilence which devastated Ireland in 544 caused the dispersion of Mobhi's disciples, and Columba returned to Ulster, the land of his kindred. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04136a.htm] .

Townlands of Kilmovee

A townland is a small geographical unit of land used in Ireland and Scotland, and believed to be of Gaelic origin.

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 kingdom, from which derives the modern name Gallen.

After the Norman Invasion, 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 strongold in Airtech Mór, building their own castle there in 1225. It became known as Castlemore and the region was sometimes called Castlemore-MacCostello.

Coolavin - "The sept of O'Gara were given as Lord of Cuil Obh-Finn (Prince of Coolavin) and of Sliabh Lugha which was part of the Barony of Costello in Co. Mayo, where they had spread in the 13th century. O'Gara was seated at Moygara castle. By the 13th century the MacDermots became lords of Coolavin"

"Source": [http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/baronie4.htm Ireland's History in Maps]

The Annals of Connacht mention a skirmish which took place in Clooncara, Kilmovee in 1464::1464.51:"An attack was made by Muirgius son of Cormac Mac Diarmata Gall, at Cluain Carthaig in Sliab Luga, on Edmund of the Plain Mac Goisdelb, wherein Tomaltach Oc O Gadra was killed with one cast of a javelin."

"Source": [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100011/text227.html Annals of Connacht] [http://www.google.co.uk/books?id=nwIGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA300&dq=clooncarha The Miscellany of the Irish Archaeological Society. Vol. 1]

Ogham stone

An ogham 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 [http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/cisp/database/site/rushe.html Celtic Inscribed Stones Project] the inscription is somewhat damaged but the legible part reads: ALATTOS MAQI BR [--

Other historical features

;Brooklawn House:The first residence of the Bishop of Achonry in the Ballaghaderreen area.;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.

External links

* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kilmovee&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.984987,59.238281&ie=UTF8&ll=53.888786,-8.686409&spn=0.012343,0.043001&t=k&z=15&iwloc=addr&om=0 Kilmovee on Google Maps]
* [http://kilmovee.mayo-ireland.ie/ Kilmovee Community Website]
* [http://www.achonrydiocese.org/kilmovee_profile.htm Achonry Diocese Kilmovee Page]
* [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/EI/0/Kilmovee.html Kilmovee Weather Statistics]
* [http://www.monasette.com/blog/gallery/kilmovee/ Pictures of Kilmovee Ogham Stone and Sean Reilig]
* [http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/fuses/townlands/index.cfm?fuseaction=TownlandsInCivil&civilparishid=1778&civilparish=Kilmovee&citycounty=Mayo Irish Times Ancestry Resources for Kilmovee]
* [http://www.leitrim-roscommon.com/1901census/census.shtml 1901 Census of Kilmovee - just type Kilmovee in the Parish box and press return]
* [http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/mayo/kilmovee.htm Griffith's Valuation 1856-1857. The Griffith's Valuation references individuals who occupied property in Ireland between 1848 and 1864. Since no Irish census of the nineteenth century has survived, Griffith's Valuation is of extreme importance. Like the tithes, it lists the head of household, townland and land information.]
* [http://www.connorsgenealogy.net/Mayo/KilmoveeParishTithes.htm Tithe Applotments - Kilmovee Civil Parish 1825]
* [http://www.ballaghaderreen.ws/FlaxGrow.htm List of Kilmovee Flax Growers in 1796]
* [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmovee French Wikipedia article on Kilmovee]
* [http://towns.mayo-ireland.ie/WebX?14@@.ee8809f Kilkelly Ireland letters and song]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.88704,-8.68784&spn=0.1,0.1&t=h&q=53.88704,-8.68784 Satellite Picture of Kilmovee]
* [http://www.hoganstand.com/general/identity/extras/roots/stories/kilkelly.htm History behind the characters in the song "Kilkelly, Ireland"]
* [http://www.mayolibrary.ie/maps/data/Parishes/p54.htm Survey Maps of Kilmovee townlands]