Kilmurry-Negaul

The name Kilmurry means "Church of the Virgin Mary", but originally the parish may have been dedicated to an Irish saint. A holy well near the old church is dedicated to Saint Tobar Faoile. The castle of Rossroe, well-preserved in 1897, belonged to Fineen, son of Loghlen MacNamara, in 1580. The castle of Drumullan was in 1580 the property of Covea, son of Mahone MacNamara.^[7] The parish lay in MacNamara territory, and the families of this powerful sect would not abandon the Catholic faith.^[8]

During the reign of King William III of England (1689–1702) John Lawson, an Englishman, was given the rectories of Quin, Tulloo, Cluony, Dowry, Templemaley, Kilraghtis and Kilmurry-Negaul.^[9] Opposite the record of this appointment was the note, "No cure served at present; noe church in repaire; the country all wast." These had been seven of the best parishes in the county.^[8]

On 18 March 1790 the vicarages of Kilseily, Bunratty, Clonlea, Clonloghan, Finogh, Kilconry, Killuran, Kilfinaghty, Kilmurrynegaul, Kilnoe and Tomfinlough were episcopally united in the Church of Ireland.^[10] In 1810 the Church of Ireland rectory of Kilmurraynegaul was valued in the King's books at £0.6.8 sterling. It was one of the parishes that made up the Union of Kilseily.^[11] As of 1837 the civil parish was part of the Catholic union of Sixmilebridge.^[12]

The population was 980 in 1821 and had fallen to 628 in 1831.^[13] In 1841 the population had risen to 699 in 101 houses.^[5] The old burial ground in the village had the ruins of an old church in 1837.^[12] By 1897 all traces of the church had gone, but the graveyard surrounding it remained in use.^[7]

The townlands are Cloonmunnia, Cragroe, Drumullan, Kilcornan, Kilkishen, Kilkishen Demesne, Kilmurry, Knocknalappa, Rosroe, Shandangan East and Shandangan West.^[14]

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