Ardfinnan

History

Saint Declán

Saint Declán journeyed through here in the early 5th century on his famous early-christian pilgrimage route from his monastery at Ardmore to Cashel, “Saint Declan’s Way”. The ford in the Suir where the bridge is now was one of the most important waypoints for pilgrims.

Saint Finnian

It is traditionally believed that Saint Fíonán Lobhar (or Finnian the Leper) founded an abbey, with a leper colony here in the 6th century, high up behind the site of the now present castle, known as Ard Brennuin and later Ard Finnan in his namesake, where the village gets its name. The 10th century text Litany of Irish Saints II refers to it as “de muntir Fhinnio i nAird Brendomnaig” and closely means “monastery of Finnian on the hill of Brennuin”.

Saint Carthage of Lismore

In c.631 AD the exiled Saint Carthage and his large cohort of monks travelled south in search of refuge, arriving at Ard Breanuinn on the bank of the river Suir. They were confronted by King Maolochtair of the Déisi and his noblemen to refute the ownership of the land. Afterwards, the King's wife (a daughter of the King of Munster) had a dream which she recalled to him upon waking:"a flock of very beautiful birds flying above her head and one bird was more beautiful and larger than the rest.  The other birds followed this one and it nestled in the king's bosom".

The King replied:  "Woman you have dreamed a good dream and soon it will be realised; the flock of birds you have seen is Mochuda (Saint Carthage)" "with his monks coming from Rahen and the most distinguished bird is Mochuda himself.  And the settling in my bosom means that the place of his resurrection will be in my territory.  Many blessings will come to us and our territory through him."King Maolochtair met Saint Carthage again to make peace and granted him this land to establish the settlement of Ardfinnan around Ardfinnan Abbey. A similar place further south on the pilgrim path was also granted, considering the large number of monks, from which grew Lismore around his great centre of western learning Lismore Abbey.

In 908, King of Munster Cormac mac Cuilennáin bequeathed one ounce of gold, one ounce of silver, his horses, armour and sword to Ardfinnan Abbey. It was said that when Lismore Abbey was sacked by Cambro-Normans during the Norman Invasion of Ireland in 1178, the monks brought all the "Sacred Vessels with them" to Ardfinnan. Ardfinnan Abbey was also said to be fled, then plundered and burnt in 1178. Both abbeys of Ardfinnan and Lismore were replaced by Norman sister castles in 1185. Ardfinnan Abbey possibly reformed 4 miles north at Caher Abbey in Cahir.

A Carmelite abbey was later built on the opposite side of the river valley, known as Lady's Abbey, of which its ruin is still extant after it was destroyed during the English Reformation. There was also a monastery for Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular.

Ardfinnan Castle

Main article: Ardfinnan Castle

A prominent feature of the village is the Anglo-Norman Ardfinnan Castle, built with its sister Lismore Castle by Prince John of England in 1185. As Lord of Ireland, John issued royal charters from the castle during his brief stay there. The castle and surrounding manor was the site of numerous battles defending the border of Waterford. The 14 arch bridge was started soon after the castle was completed. The castle's list of former owners include the Knights Templar. The castle is now a private home and is not open to the public.

Fairy Fort

A 50 meter diameter fairyfort exists at the crest of the highest point in Ardfinnan, in the Spital-land townland.

Economy

Mills

Main article: Ardfinnan Woollen Mills

Ardfinnan Woollen Mills which made its renowned Ardfinnan tweeds and worsteds was established by the Mulcahy family in 1869, taking over a former flour mill leased by James Fennell, a Quaker, from James Prendergast of Ardfinnan Castle. The castle’s mill was there since before the Civil Survey of 1654, when flour or cloth milling would have sustained knights in the castle and supported the local economy. Since time immemorial the old coach road between Cork and Dublin passed by here. The older monastic settlements would have brought milling and learned crafts to the area. Historical traditions of spinning and weaving into the 19th century in the village suggests the Knights Templar finished locally woven cloth by fulling at the mill in the Middle Ages. A William le Teynturer (William the Dyer, of cloth) is recorded in the village in 1295.

The woollen mills became a leading firm in Irish textiles and was of great benefit to the village of Ardfinnan, providing employment to as many as 300 workers at its peak and electricity and gas for streetlights and homes in the surrounding area long before the Rural Electrification Scheme was introduced. King Edward VII visited the mills in the 1900s. It closed in 1973.

Developments

Ardfinnan was a location, used by Atari, for the manufacture of wooden video game arcade cabinets from 1974 to 1984. At its height 200 workers were building 2,000 arcade cabinets a month at the location just outside the village. The plant in Ardfinnan closed in 1989.

An insulation manufacturing company, Moy Isover, was also based in the village from 1974 until its closure in 2008.

In January 2017, €800,000 was allocated for essential remedial works on the bridge by the government. As a public safety initiative, a traffic light one way system was put in place on the bridge from the end of 2015 after significant structural damage was discovered.

Transport

During the week, the area is served five times a day in each direction by Bus Éireann route 245 linking it to Clonmel, Mitchelstown, Fermoy and Cork. At the weekend, there are three buses each way.

Sport

The local Gaelic Athletic Association clubs include Ballybacon-Grange GAA and Ardfinnan GAA. The former is primarily a hurling club. The latter, a Gaelic football club, won the Tipperary Senior Football Championship in 2005.

Ardfinnan Anglers have licensed fishing rights to approximately 15 km of river bank on the river Suir. Brown trout and Salmon can be caught in these waters. The river banks are maintained annually by club members who perform the work voluntarily before the commencement of the annual fishing season.

References

References

1. (2022). "Census Interactive Map - Towns: Ardfinnan - Population Snapshot". Central Statistics Office.
2. [https://www.logainm.ie/2239.aspx Placesnames Database of Ireland] - Ardfinnan civil parish
3. Plummer, Charles. (1992). "Irish Litanies: Text and Translation". Henry Bradshaw Society.
4. (2004-02-01). "Life of St. Declan of Ardmore and Life of St. Mochuda of Lismore".
5. (1914). "Life of St. Declan of Ardmore ... and Life of St. Mochuda of Lismore ... with Introduction, Translation, and Notes". Irish Texts Society.
6. Nugent, W.J.. (c. 1962). "Dúchas, The Schools Collection, Ardfinnan (B.), Cahir (roll number 16077)".
7. Hammond, Matthew. (2006-01-01). "Irish royal charters.Texts and contexts. By Marie Thérèse Flanagan. Pp. xv + 451. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. £85. 0 19 926707 3". The Journal of Ecclesiastical History.
8. (1 May 2020). "Ardfinnan On The River Suir 1975". RTE Archives.
9. "Historic Environment Viewer". National Monuments Service.
10. Hodkinson, Brian. (9 October 2016). "Who Was Who in Medieval Limerick; from Manuscript Sources.".
11. (30 August 2017). "Atari Ireland: Tipperary's Arcade connection". Arcade Blogger.
12. (15 August 2008). "Factory to close with loss of 44 jobs". Irish Times.
13. (5 February 2017). "€800k funding for Ardfinnan Bridge". Tipperary Star.