Our History

Kilmurry – Ibrickane and Kilfarboy.

The parishes of Kilmurry Ibrickane and Kilfarboy ( Miltown Malbay) were united for 500 years i.e from the 14^th to the 19^th century, the two parishes were not merely ecclesiastical regions but they were Baronial as well. They were Mc Gorman or O’Gorman territory. This family came from Leinster. They were uprooted by the Anglo – Normans and they established themselves in the Barony of Ibrickane which was granted to them by O’Brien of the period .

There were two churches in the parish one in Kilmurry near the coast, the other in Kilfarboy , at the eastern extremity.Both of these buildings Kilmurry and Kilfarboy fell into disuse subsequent to the Cromwellian invasion of Clare.

For a long period Mass was celebrated either in the homes of the people or in improvised chapels until the present churches at Mullagh and Miltown Malbay were built by the Pastor Father Anthony Mc Guane in 1838/39.

At that time the parishes were divided and they remain divided since. Kilmurry Ibrickane which comprises of Quilty, Mullagh and Coore is the largest rural parish in the Diocese of Killaloe

Click here to find out more about our traditions and folklore

Quilty is a coastal village in the parish of Kilmurry Ibrickane. The origin of its name is uncertain but it may be a derivation of "coillte" meaning woods. In this instance the woods referred to would probably have been an underwood of hazel or holly Local tradition mentions the finding of tree stumps which indicate the existence of large woods here in ancient times. The same word "coillte" could also refer to "ruined or destroyed" and be a reference to a tragedy of long ago. This particular stretch of coast is dangerous for shipping and is constantly being eroded by the sea. Sean Spellissy, historian, believes that the name refers to the devastation caused by the tidal wave that separated Mutton Island from the mainland in 804, drowning 1,010 people in the process. Quilty is set in picturesque surroundings with the Aran Islands on one side, Connemara behind the Cliffs of Moher on another side. The Kerry mountains are visible in the distance.

A dramatic moment in Quilty’s history has been recorded in song an in story. It happened in October 1907 when a raging storm hit the Clare coast. The French ship "Loen XIII" was completing her journey from America with a cargo of wheat when it was swept on the reefs near Quilty. The ship had earlier lost a rudder near Mutton Island. It was smashed on a reef, splitting in two. Huge waves crashed over her side and Captain Lucas had fractured his leg. On October 2^nd the fishermen of Quilty made a brave effort to rescue the crew, using only their currachs. However, the strong waves made their task impossible and the rescue attempt was postponed until the following morning. The storm was still raging but the Quilty men managed to bring ashore thirteen of the twenty-two sailors. By Friday the wind had calmed slightly and a British steamer, the H.M. Arrogant, appeared in the bay. The remaining crew was brought to safety and there were scenes of jubilation in Quilty. Louis Boutin, First Mate, summed up the event as follows - "I have been all over the world, but never, never, in my life have I seen any action more heroic than the conduct of the Clare fishermen "Newspaper reports lauded their bravery and fund was established, partly for the needs of the fishermen but with the remainder to be used for the building of a church in Quilty.

Money was donated by local people and their friends in other parts of Ireland, England and the United States of America. The French government made a small donation available for those who engaged in the rescue. Richard Haren provided a site free of charge. The architect was a Mr. Burke from Limerick and he offered his services free of charge. The sand and stones were provided at no cost and the necessary labour was provided by the people of Quillty. The fund was used for the walls, floor and furnishings. The church was opened on October 9^th, 1911, and was named "Stella Maris" – Star of the Sea. The first Mass was said by Canon Cahir. It’s bell was presented to the Church in 1949. It had been taken from the wreck of "The Leon" and is on display in the sanctuary area.

The village has long been associated with fishing. In the early 19oo’s it was a community of farmers and fishermen. They fished for ling, haddock, cod and mackerel. The local women cured fish for export to America. Nowadays, Quilty fishermen also bring in lobster and salmon in season. According to a 1940’s survey Quilty was a little fishing village where the men, women and bare-footed children toiled by the shore all day, fishing, drying and burning seaweed or picking carrageen. Making a living from the sea was not easy and most farming families supplemented their meagre incomes by harvesting seaweed. Around the month of June, dried seaweed was burnt along the coast to make kelp. The kelp was then collected, loaded into carts and transported to Quilty Railway Station. From there it was delivered to the factory and converted into iodine and other products.

As in other places in Ireland, emigration was a common event. The American wake was an important social gathering as the locals said farewell to the emigrant. Dancing and singing continued in the early hours of the morning. The closure of the West Clare Railway in 1961 was also a blow to Quilty. The Station there had been a hive of activity on fair days.

Coastal erosion has been a serious problem in the area for generations. Quilty Action Group is currently waging a campaign for coastal protection. Cliff stabilisation and rock armour works have been carried out in a bid to prevent damage, flooding and further erosion.

Nowdays, tourism plays an important role in the area. Holiday homes, mobile home parks, picnic areas and indoor facilities are all being developed. However, having seen the commercialisation of other resorts, locals are keen to safeguard the charm of Quilty.

Mutton Island

Mutton Island is the only island of any size off the Clare coast and it belongs to the parish of Kilmurry Ibrickane. It is half a mile from the shore and Quilty is the nearest mainland village. It contains 210 statute acres of excellent land for feeding cattle and sheep, the latter giving it the name Oilean na gCaorach .On it’s shore are some natural caves, formerly used by smugglers for storing contraband goods. There is an old signal tower and the ruins of an ancient structure said to have been founded by St. Senan of Scattery Island on the Shannon near Kilrush. There are two forts on the island. In the north east corner of the island are the graves of unknown sailors, believed locally to have belonged to a ship from the Spanish Armada fleet "the Sao Marcos". The signal tower or watch tower is situated on the cliff edge. Local tradition has it that it was used in an effort to curtail the activities of smugglers. A cave on the north side is called Poll Tobac. During the days of the Sinn Fein courts the island was used as a detention camp.

The island was inhabited up to the 1920’s but little remains of the village today. Names such as Gallagher, Kelleher, Griffin, Scully, Power, Boyle and Egan were associated with the place. They made a living partly from fishing. They also harvested kelp, dilisk and carrageen. Potatoes and vegetables were grown and they kept domestic animals. The island has a long tradition of sheep farming. They also cut turf and hay was saved. A lake on the island covers an area of three to four acres. Today Mutton Island is inhabited only by wild goats, seals, rats, rabbits, hares, birds and flowers.

Mutton Island was joined to the mainland up to the beginning of the 9^th century when a huge tidal wave and earthquake tore it from the mainland.

The Pieta of Kilmurry Ibrickane

The late medieval church of Kilmurry Ibrickane houses a fragmentary carving of a Pieta. It is carved in Clare limestone which contrasts with the laminated slate with which the church was built. Regretfully, Christ’s head and the upper part of the body of the Virgin just above the waist are lost, but except for some minor damage the group remains otherwise intact .The Virgins right arm is broken off below the elbow but it is clear that the missing right hand must have supported Christ’s head. Her left forearm lies over the lower part of Christ’s right arm, while her left hand, which is not well preserved, grasps Christ’s right arm a little below the shoulder. The carving of this Pieta is of good quality. It’s present height is 32cms. It is 42 cms broad and 22cms deep. A similar Pieta though of a larger scale can be seen in Ennis. The Pieta in Kilmurry Ibrickane is housed in a little alcove on the southern wall of the old church.