Kilkelly
Village in County Mayo, Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kilkelly (Irish: Cill Cheallaigh, meaning 'church of Cellach'[2]) is a small village in Kilmovee civil parish, County Mayo, Ireland. It is just south of Ireland West Airport on the N17, a national primary road running between Galway and Sligo.
Kilkelly
Irish: Cill Cheallaigh | |
|---|---|
Village | |
Street and post office in Kilkelly | |
  Kilkelly Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°52′16″N 8°51′01″W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Mayo |
| Elevation | 77 m (253 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 373 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | M441916 |
History
Built heritage
Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a ringfort site in Liscosker townland.[3] An early ecclesiastical site to the south of Kilkelly village, which includes the remains of a church and graveyard, is historically associated with Saint Celsus (or Cellach).[3] The modern Roman Catholic church of Saint Celsus, to the north of the village, is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Achonry.[4] Urlaur Abbey, a monastic site dating to the mid-15th century, is also nearby.[5]
Emigration
Kilkelly is the subject of a song. "Kilkelly, Ireland", by the American songwriter Peter Jones. In the 1980s, Jones discovered a collection of 19th century letters sent to his Irish emigrant ancestor in America from that ancestor's father in Kilkelly.[5][6] Jones wrote a ballad based on the contents of those letters, conveying the experience of his own family as well as others separated by emigration.[5][6][7]
Amenities
Kilkelly has a number of shops, a pharmacy,[8] credit union branch,[9] and a post office.[10] As of 2010, the local national (primary) school had over 50 pupils enrolled.[11]
Notable people
- George Harrison, IRA member and arms trafficker was born in nearby Shammer.[12]
- Dominick Cafferky who was a local farmer and politician for the Clann na Talmhan political party.[13]
See also
