O'DORNEY

O'DORNEY, a parish, in the barony of CLANMAURICE, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 7 miles (N. by E.) from Tralee, on the new road to Listowel; containing 2986 inhabitants. At this place, otherwise called Kyrie Eleison, an abbey under the invocation of the Virgin Mary was founded in 1154, for Cistertian monks. Its possessions, formerly very extensive, were at the dissolution granted by Henry VIII. to Edmond, Lord of Kerry, created Baron O'Dorney in 1537. In 1596, the abbey was granted by Queen Elizabeth to the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin; and in 1603 the rectory of O'Dorney was granted by the Queen to William Taaffe, Esq.: it is now the property of W. Talbot Crosbie, Esq., of Ardfert Abbey.

The parish comprises 10,140 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £5236 per annum.

The living is an impropriate cure, in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe, and in the patronage of Mr. Crosbie, who receives the tithes, amounting to £184; he has appointed a curate, and a church and school-house are about to be built.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Abbeydorney, which also comprises the parishes of Kilflyn and Killaghin, and contains the chapels of Abbeydorney and Kilflyn. About 200 children are educated in three private schools. The ruins of the ancient abbey church are situated near the village of Abbeydorney, which see.