Country Ireland Province Munster | County Clare | |
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Coolmeen (Irish: Cúil Mhín), formerly called Kilfiddane (Irish: Cill Fheadáin) is a Roman Catholic parish in County Clare, Ireland. Kilfiddane is a civil parish that covers the same area. The parish is located on the Shannon Estuary to the south west of Kildysart.
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Map of Coolmeen, Co. Clare, Ireland
Location
The parish lies in the southeast of the barony of Clonderalaw. It is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southwest of Kildysart. The parish is 7 by 3 miles (11.3 by 4.8 km) and covers 13,733 acres (5,558 ha). It extends from the River Fergus estuary westward along the Shannon Estuary and north to the head of Clonderlaw bay. The road from Ennis to Kilrush runs through the parish.
The original name of the parish, Kilfidane, is derived from a streamlet called Feadán in Irish. It runs near where the old church stood. There is a well dedicated to St. Senán about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) south of the church. There was a castle owned by Teige MacMahon of Clonderalaw in 1580 in the townland of Caher-da-con (Cahercon). It has disappeared without trace. In 1841 Coolmeen had a population of 4,661 in 716 houses.
Facilities
The parish of Coolmeen is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe. The parish has two churches, St Benedict's in Coolmeen and St Mary's in Cranny.
There is a local Gaelic Athletic Association club, Coolmeen GAA, founded in 1887 three years after the association came together. Coolmeen GAA succeeded in the Clare Senior Football Championship in 1919 and 1921, in the Clare Intermediate Football Championship in 1959, 1966 and 1967 and in the Clare Junior A Football Championship in 1958, 1964, 1983 and 1999 The parish also has a national school. The Coolmeen N.S. is a co-educational catholic primary school founded in 1885 that is under the patronage of the Bishop of Killaloe.
Townlands
Townlands are Aillroe Beg, Aillroe More, Bolooghra, Burrenfadda, Cahiracon, Carrowreagh East, Carrowreagh West, Cloondrinagh, Coolmeen, Crag, Derriniddane, Derrygeeha, Derrynageeha, Derrynalecka, Derryshaan, Effernan, Erribul, Moy, Moyfadda, Shannakea More and Shannakea Beg.