the Brosna series.
I have been doing genealogy since 1978, and in 1999 was appointed the Official Genealogist of the Curtin Clan Association affiliated in Ireland with Clans of Ireland.
My husband's Curtin people came from Brosna Parish , and over the years I have collected detail and share it with you via these pages and links. I live in Australia but visit this area each time I am in Ireland collecting genealogical data.
Some famous Munster Rivers have their sources in the parish - the Feale, the Clydagh, the Braonach, and the Munster Black Water.
The highest point is Mount Eagle.
Crochaun Mountain is 1400 feet above sea level, with its wonderful view.
Brosna, Co Kerry is bordered by Co Cork, and Co Limerick. Our nearest neighbours Castleisland and Knocknagoshel in Co Kerry, Abbeyfeale and Mountcollins in Co Limerick, and Ballydesmond and Rockchapel in Co Cork. It is a rural parish mainly agricultural, supporting 2 Churches, 2 schools, a Post Office and 7 Public Houses.
Names. Translations.
Cnockanecrock The Hill of the River Marsh
Toureenascarthy Bushy Cattle Fields
Laccabawn White Hill
Coolegraine Back of Sun
Reacashla Coarse land with a vein
Glountane - Luskaha The Parched Glen
Knockawinna The Green Hill
Clough Buaile Stony cattle enclosure
Ahane Little Ford
Knockaclarig The flat top hill
Tooreenfineen hillside of a tribe
Scrahan a stoney slope
Glounlahan a wide glen
Cappa Phaudine little wise mans plot
Knockadarrive the hill of the bull
Tooreenfluic wet cattle fields
Ballawalla home town
Cnockane small hill
Lavalla half wall
Tooreenablaha little cattle field of the flowers
Toinriac bottom of the marsh
Carrigeen little rock
Meenavouchane smooth field of the hut
Killmanihan church founded by Bishop Dromaingen
Knockafrecchaun the hill of the whortleberry
TwoGneeves 10 acres / 12th of a ploughland
Bally Beg small town
Meeingwaine smooth white field
Cnegare hill of the rabbits
Knockogno the hill of the nut
Knopoge the hollock
Inchamore big inch (riverbank)
Inchanapogue little kissing inch
Derra the oak wood
It was on 16 September 1868 that this piece or plot of ground known as John Coakleys Lot in the Parish of Brosna, Barony of Trughanackmy and County of Kerry was given by M.F.Collis-Sandes to the most Reverend John Coffey, RC Bishop of Kerry and the Reverend Patrick Moriarty, Parish Priest of Brosna.
The indenture of lease for aterm of 600 years, subject to the yearly rent of 5 shillings payable 1/2 yearly on the 25 March and 29th September each year.
It was customary to give a Fair ground for the use of the people in such transactions and this is how we have acquired The Square, a freehold for the use of the people of Brosna. It was here we had the customary Brosna Fairs 6 times yearly. January 15th, March 12th, May 10th, July 15th, September 14th and November 14th.
Collis-Sandes donated 1,000 pound towards the building of the Catholic Church in Brosna. He was the English Lord of these lands which included the Parish of Brosna.
The marble altar rails are much younger and were donated by Denis Guiney in 1946, in memory of his parents Cornelius and Julia Guiney (this is the Denis Guiney who began Clerys store in Dublin). Denis Guiney details on my FamilyTreeMaker site under Dan Guiney
This has been home to Parish Priests and Catholic Curates who have served the Parish. It was restored by Revd. Tadhg ODoherty in 1998.
In 614 AD it was here in the foothills of Sliabh Luachra that
Then taking sips of water from the well in their cupped hands, and many cures have been attributed.
The restoration of this well was carried out by the Brosna Heritage group in 1998 under the guidance of James Scanlon an International Sculptor-Glazier, who is a native of Brosna (& from a Curtin line).
BROSNA, a parish, in the county of Kerry, and province of Munster, 10 miles from Castleisland, containing 12,168 inhabitants. It is situated on the small river Clydagh, and on the confines of the counties of Limerick and Cork, and comprises 18,013 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at 2180 pound per annum
A large portion of the land consists of coarse mountain pasture and bog, the greater part fo which might be reclaimed. A new line of road, about 8 miles in length, is now in progress, at the expense of Col. Drummond and C.Fairfield, Esq., extending from the bridge over the Clydagh (an arch of 60 feet span), on the new road from Listowel to Newmarket, and passing through this and the adjoining parish of Ballincuslane to the village of Ardnagrath, on the old mountain road from Castleisland to Millstreet.
It is in contemplation to extend this road to Scortaglin, to form a junction with the new Government road from Castleisland to King William's town, by which the surrounding country will be greatly improved.
The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe, and in the patronage of the Bishop : the tithes amount to 175 pound.
There is neither church nor glebe-house; the glebe comprises 21 acres. In the R.C. divisions this parish is the head of the union or district of Brosna or Knocknagoshel, which comprises also part of the adjoining parishes of Castleisland and Ballincuslane; the chapel is a thatched but commodious building, and during the summer months a school is held in it, under the superintendence of the parish priest ; there is also a chapel at Knocknagoshel, in the parish of Castleisland.
There are 2 private schools, in which about 120 children are educated. Some slight vestiges of the ancient parish church may still be traced in the burial ground.
