Kilkishen

Demographics

According to a report by Samuel Lewis in 1837, Kilkishen had a population of 519. At the 2006 Census the population was 443, a rise from 324 at the 2002 Census. The population of the village, at the 2022 census, was 651.

Facilities

Kilkishen is in the civil parish of Clonlea and in the Catholic parish of O'Callaghans Mills. and was owned by the Studderts of Kilkishen House. The first Catholic church at Kilkishen, St Senan's, was probably built very early in the 19th century. It is mentioned in an 1811 report of a dispute that led to violence over who should sit nearest to the altar. Major renovation or reconstruction of the church was completed in 1865.

The Protestant church in Kilkishen was erected in 1811. The church was later abandoned, but in 2014 the building was restored and converted into Kilkishen Cultural Centre.

Kilkishen National School is in the village and, according to their website, has an enrollment of 108 students.

The village is the home of the Clare Shout Festival, which was first held in 2006 and is now held annually in September. The history of the Clare Shout is uncertain, but is believed to date back to pre-Celtic times in Ireland.

The gateway of Glenwood House in Kilkishen was the site of an ambush by the IRA in 1921 which resulted in the death of four police constables. The site is now marked with three plaques on the gateway wall.

Sport

Kilkishen GAA was a hurling team that is now defunct. The team won the Clare Senior Hurling Championship in 1923 and 1932 and were finalists in 1938. The village has a junior level camogie club.

References

References

1. "Census Interactive Map – Towns: Kilkishen". [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland).
2. "Cill Chisín/Kilkishen".
3. "Clare Places: County Clare: A History and Topography 1837: Kilkishen - A Description".
4. [http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/census2006_Table_7_and_12.pdf Table 12 (contd.) Alphabetical list of Towns with their population, 2002 and 2006] {{webarchive. link. (2009-03-26 , p. 141 (p. 12 in pdf))
5. Galway, NUI. "land estates".
6. "O'Callaghan's Mills". Diocese of Killaloe.
7. "O'Callaghan's Mills Churches". Diocese of Killaloe.
8. "Kilkishen Church". Abandoned Ireland.
9. "Archived copy".
10. "Kilkishen National School Information".
11. (10 September 2009). "Lining up to shout for Clare". Clare Champion.
12. Clare, County library. "The banner in Turmoil".
13. Glenwood Ambush, Committee. "Glenwood Ambush Booklet".
14. "GAA Info on Kilkishen".
15. "Roll of Honour".