st lua s church next catholic church of st flannan s, killaloe
the town owes origin sixth-century monastic settlement founded saint molua, or lua, on island in shannon 1 km below present killaloe bridge later moved onto mainland. in tenth century base brian boru controlled strategic crossing of shannon above limerick, vikings in control. brian boru had palace, kincora (ceann coradh), on high ground current catholic church stands. therefore, between 1002 , 1014, when high king, killaloe capital of ireland. 2 km north of town, fort, beal boruma, stood on site of iron age ring @ head of lough derg, ford crossed river. word boruma comes tribute paid crossing river , thought origin of brian boru s name.
st flannan s cathedral (church of ireland) built between 1185 , 1225, oratory same saint, had been abbot of killaloe in seventh century. cathedral destroyed , rebuilt in fourteenth century. of original building, romanesque arch survives. in elizabethan times, ennis chosen county town of clare, , importance of killaloe declined.
in 1650, cromwell spent 10 days on opposite side of shannon @ ballina, exploring ways cross river, defensive line of catholic , royalist forces before siege of limerick. 40 years later, patrick sarsfield leader of jacobite forces here, harrying williamite forces advancing on limerick.
the earliest mention of (wooden) bridge across river in 1013. repaired , replaced 17 arch stone bridge in eighteenth century, later reduced 13 arches. of houses in lower part of town built in eighteenth century. in nineteenth century shannon steam navigation company had headquarters here , constructed canal bypass rapids below town.
hill road
st. lua s oratory, built between 1000 , 1150, moved friar s island site of catholic church when hydroelectric scheme @ ardnacrusha constructed in 1920s.
killaloe parish part of roman catholic diocese of killaloe. parish churches sacred heart & st lua s in garraunboy, st flannan s in killaloe , st thomas in bridgetown.
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