KILLELY

KILLELY, or KILLEELY, partly within the north liberties of the city of LIMERICK, but chiefly in the barony of BUNRATTY, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 3 miles (N. W.) from Limerick, on the mail road to Ennis, and on the river Shannon; containing 5141 inhabitants. This parish, which is also called Meelick, comprises 5135 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, which are nearly equally divided between tillage and pasture. It extends nearly to the old Thomond bridge, at Limerick, and includes the extensive distillery of Messrs. Brown, Stein, and Co. Limestone abounds and is used for manure, and there is some bog near the Shannon. There are stations of the constabulary police at Cratloe, Meelick, and Thomond Gate. Cratloe House is the residence of Stafford O'Brien, Esq.; the demesne and wood of Cratloe, which are chiefly in this parish, extend into the adjoining parish of Kilfentinan.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Limerick, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £281. 1. 11 ½. The church, a small plain structure, is picturesquely situated at Meelick; it was built by the grandmother of the present Marquess of Conyngham, and subsequently made parochial; it is now undergoing a thorough repair, a grant of £220 having been made by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for that purpose. The communion plate was presented by the Conyngham family. The glebe-house, a large mansion, commanding a beautiful view of the Shannon, stands on a glebe of 11 ½ acres.

In the R. C. divisions this parish is partly in the district of Meelick, and partly in that of Thomond Gate, or St. Lelia. In the parochial school, supported by the rector, about 20 children are educated; and about 80 females are taught in a public school supported by subscription: there are also four private schools, containing about 170 children, and a Sunday school is held in the parochial school-house. About one mile south-east from Cratloe Cross is the Cratloe and Meelick public dispensary.