Killeigh Parish, County Offaly, Ireland.

Killeigh Parish in the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin, - a parish reaching back through it's history to the coming of Christianity to Ireland

This page was last updated:- 16/03/10  

Killeigh Parish lies in the shadow of the Sliamh Bloom Mountains.

Cill Achaidh, Church of the Field;          Earlier:- Acha Droma Fada, the field of the long ridge

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St. Patrick's links to our parish;

From the HISTORY OF KILLEIGH:Compiled by the late Fr. Dan Kennedy,

This project was carried out during his retirement. [1977 – 1998 ]

Coming of 'St. Patrick in 432 A.D

 It was very necessary for St. Patrick to obtain the permission of the local king or chief wherever he went throughout Ireland before he began his work of Christian conversion in the local area.

Archbishop Healy of Tuam tells us who was the local chief in the Killeigh and Geashill area.

"Cathair Mór, the famous Leinster King, who flourished in the second century.

He bequeathed this territory (Offaly) as well as a great part of Western Kildare to his eldest son, Ros Fáilge; and his descendants held the land in the time of St. Patrick.

Now the ruling Prince at that time

when he heard that Patrick was coming into his territory

and was coming to ask his permission to preach,

he boastfully declared that he would kill the Patrick

in revenge for Crom Cruach, Failge's god,

whom Patrick had overthrown in Leitrim.

Patrick's servants heard of these boastings

But they concealed their fears from Patrick,

who knew nothing of the special danger to which he was exposed in Offaly. 

His devoted charioteer, 0dran, said to Patrick

"I am now a long time driving for you my good master,

"will you take my place today and let me sit to rest myself in your Place?”

Patrick readily granted this request of his old and faithful servant.

So they drove northwards towards Killeigh, heading for Geashill.

There it was that the accursed, Fáilge Berraide [BER ÁIDE] approaching the chariot of the Saint,

gave suddenly a spear thrust to Odran          who sat in Patrick's seat

So it was that    --  Odran received the fatal blow intended for his Master.

You may enquire where precisely it occurred

 It was obviously in Killurin, but

The name Killurin is in Irish Cill Odran,

Patrick made only a short stay in Offaly, merely passing through it.

We are not told that he founded a single Church

            or left a single one of his disciples in that territory."

However, it was one of the people he baptised, Sinchell, who brought the Story of the Bible

The Story of our Salvation

To our ancestors in this place.

This Feast calls each one of us, as Lent itself does,

To renew our loyalty to the faith,

That Faith which St Patrick faithfully preached in our land.

HAPPY St PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL

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Ballinagar is to get a new school.

The plans for the school are drawn up by the PLANNING AND BUILDING UNIT

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & SCIENCE

As in the past when the present school was built there is a

GENERIC REPEAT DESIGN of SCHOOL.

Tender is now being sought. All information is available on the E-tender website.

We look forward to work beginning this year, 2010.

View some of the outline plans for Ballinagar New School:-

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