Kilmihil

Kilmihil Cill Mhichíl
Village
Kilmihil Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°43′N 9°19′W / 52.72°N 9.32°W
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	County Clare
Elevation	75 m (246 ft)
Population (2006)
• Urban	325
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference	R134877

Kilmihil (Irish: Cill Mhichíl, meaning "Church of St. Michael the Archangel") is a village in the Barony of Clonderlaw, west County Clare, Ireland. It is also a civil parish and an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe.

History

It is believed that St. Michael’s Church was founded by St. Senan around 530AD. He dedicated this church to St. Michael. For centuries it became a place of pilgrimage to St. Michael, especially in September, as his feast day is on September 29. In 1937, the Curate of the parish, Fr. Patrick O’Reilly, organised the improvement of the well, and the surrounding area. The well is now enclosed, and over this building is the Statue of St. Michael, enclosed in glass.^[1] Tradition credits the founding of a church here to St. Senan, in honour of Michael the Archangel. During the reign of Pope Gelasius I, (AD 492-496), an apparition of the Archangel was reported to have taken place on the summit of Mt. Garganus, in Apulia, in Italy. This apparition report, and the founding of the church in Kilmihil, both took place during St. Senan’s lifetime (488 – 554 AD). After visiting Rome about 530 AD, he returned to Ireland, wishing to foster devotion to Michael. While travelling from Scattery Island to Doolough, he stopped in Kilmihil, where he founded the church.^[1]

Kilmihil today

The village has three grocery stores, a pharmacy, five pubs, a post office, and several other shops. Other amenities are the credit union, library, garage, retirement village, church, and a community centre.

There is a primary school and a secondary school (St. Michaels Community College).

In popular culture

Kilmihil is mentioned in several books. O Come Ye Back to Ireland: Our First Year in County Clare, a memoir Niall Williams and Christine Breen, describes an Irish/American couple's move from New York back to the cottage of their forebears.^[2] (and subsequent books When Summer's in the Meadow and The Luck of the Irish). Kilmilhil and environs are also the backdrop for the Born In trilogy by Nora Roberts.

Sport

Kilmihil GAA club won the Clare Senior Football Championship in 1980, its sole victory in the championship's history.^[3]

Kilmihil soccer club is named St. Pat's.

Olympians Thomas O'Donahue and Michael Ryan were born in Kilmihil.

Events

Kilmihil conducts an annual "Festival of Fun" every year over the August Bank Holiday weekend, which draws large crowds to the village. It includes a parade, a vintage rally, a raft race on Knockalough Lake and various other activities.^[4]

Catholic parish

The parish of Kilmihil is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe. The parish church is St Michael's, Kilmihil.^[5] Kilmihil is one of the larger parishes in West Clare. It is well known for its Holy Shrine, which attracts many pilgrims due to its holy water.^[6]

Civil parish

The parish is part of the historical barony of Clonderalaw. There are 22 townlands in the parish.^[7]

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

References

1. "Antiquities Near Miltown Malbay - Kilmihil Church". Clarelibrary.ie. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
2. "O Come Ye Back to Ireland: Our First Year in County Clare by Niall Williams — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists". Goodreads.com. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
3. "Kilmihil". Kilmihilgaaclub.com. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
4. "Festival of Fun". Kilmihil. 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
5. "Kilmihil". Diocese of Killaloe. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
6. "Clare Places - Kilmihil: Historical Background". Clarelibrary.ie. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
7. Placenames Database of Ireland - Kilmihil civil parish

Coordinates: 52°43′17.18″N 9°19′14.3″W / 52.7214389°N 9.320639°W