KILHENY

KILHENY, or KILLEANY, a parish, in the barony of BURREN, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, about 11 miles (S. W.) from Burren, near the road from Ballyvaughan to Ballyaline bay; containing 465 inhabitants. It is the estate of the Creagh family, by patent of Charles II., and comprises 3111 statute acres, consisting chiefly of rocky mountain pasture, but containing some very rich grazing farms, from which large droves of cattle are sent to Cork and Liverpool. About two feet below the surface is a stratum of excellent limestone, causing very great productiveness in the soil, which, on the townland of Ballyconroe South, has been known to yield nine crops in succession without manuring. It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kilfenora, forming part of the union of Kilcorney, and the corps of the chancellorship of the cathedral of Kilfenora: the tithes amount to £25. In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the union or district of Tuoclea, or Arranview, and has a small chapel at Toumavara, in which a school of about 50 scholars is kept. Here are the ruins of a chapel, the burial-ground of which is still used; five forts, called Cahers, composed of huge blocks of limestone, with underground apartments; a cromlech; and a cave called Poul Ilva, more than 150 feet in depth, at the bottom of which is seen a subterraneous stream, which, after a course of about two miles, appears above ground near the old parish church.