KILFENTINAN

KILFENTINAN, a parish, in the barony of BUNRATTY, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, contiguous to the post-town of Six-mile-bridge (of which it includes a small portion); containing 2856 inhabitants and comprising about 3600 acres, as rated for the county cess. It is situated on the northern shore of the river Shannon, and comprehends the two small inhabited islands of Grass and Graigue, containing respectively six and five plantation acres of rich pasture land. Near the latter is a rocky shoal called "the Scarlets," on which is a low tower erected as a guide to the navigation of the river. On the shores of this parish are some of the rich corcasses, which yield a succession of abundant crops without any manure. The land is mostly in tillage, and the state of agriculture has been latterly improved.A court for the manor of Bunratty is occasionally held at Cratloe, by Lord Egremont's seneschal, in which small debts are recoverable. Here is a station of the constabulary police. The seats are Cratloe Woods, the occasional residence of Stafford O'Brien, Esq.; and Ballintlea, of J. Kelly, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Limerick, and in the patronage of the Earl of Egremont, in whom the rectory is impropriate: the tithes amount to £267. 10., of which £197. 10. is payable to the impropriator, and £70 to the vicar. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church. The principal chapel is at Cratloe Cross, and there is another at Ballyliddane, near Six-mile-bridge. About 120 children are educated in four private schools, and application is about to be made to establish a school at Cratloe, under the National Board. The ruins of the castles of Cratloe, Cratloe Kail, and Ballintlea, still remain; also of the old church on Gallows hill, and of another at Crochan. Near the latter is a very perfect druidical altar or cromlech.