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Introduction to Feenagh-Kilmeedy   Feenagh-Kilmeedy   Feenagh Church
History


The name Kilmeedy is derived from the Irish Cill Míde, which means 'the church of St Ita' or 'the church of Míde'. Feenagh is a translation of Fíodhnach, which means 'woody place'. The 1584 survey of the lands of the Earl of Desmond contains a number of references to wooded areas in the district. Kilmeedy was a medieval settlement, while the village of Feenagh developed in the late 18th century, growing up around the church of Feenagh.

Feenagh/Kilmeedy became a separate parish in 1841. Originally, it formed part of the large parish of Corcomohide. In 1704, Fr Maurice England was the parish priest of Corcomohide, which embraced the parishes of Drumcollogher, Kilmeedy and Castletown MacEnery and the area of Milford, which is in the neighbouring county of Cork. Around the time of Fr England's death in 1719, this parish was divided into the parishes of Drumcollogher (today the parish of Dromcollogher/Broadford) and Castletown Conyers.

In 1841 the parish of Castletown Conyers was further divided when the parish priest Fr Michael Kiely died. At this point, the parishes of Feenagh/Kilmeedy and Ballyagran/Colmanswell were formed. The first parish priest of Feenagh/Kilmeedy was Fr Edmund Molony in 1842.

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Introduction to Feenagh-Kilmeedy      Feenagh Church