Kilmurry

15 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Kilmurry, from 197 m² to 184,852 m² (18.49 ha, 45.68 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 5 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Kilmurry in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

No planning application touches the townland of Kilmurry in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Protection Area: Dingle Peninsula SPA 004153

Recorded monuments

• KE054-061 Church
  Description

  Kilmurry Church/Cill Mhuire: The location of the 13th century parish church of Minard (Cal Docs Ire, V, 297) cannot be identified with certainty. The church survived into the 16th century (TCD Ms 2158, 37) but was in ruins in 1756 (Smith, 71). It has been suggested that the original foundation stood in the townland of Aglish (KE054-032001-) but was subsequently removed to Kilmurry (Hickson 1888, 446). However, a local tradition recorded in 1848 suggests a mid-17th century date for the erection of the church at Aglish (Windele 1848, 465-7). The remains at Kilmurry are those of a rubble-built rectangular church, 11.2m x 6.6m externally. The walls, c 1m thick, are largely reduced to foundations and the interior is filled with rubble. The remains of an entrance are visible in the S wall; the head of a narrow pointed window of 15th/16th date is preserved in the adjacent farmyard. In 1841 the E gable stood almost intact; it was lit by a twin-light lancet window and there were 2 single-light windows at the E end of the N and S walls (OSL). The site lies on elevated ground overlooking Minard Bay and adjacent to Minard Castle (KE054-063----). See also CHURCHFIELD (830), DUAGH (834), KILLINEY (854), KILMALKEDAR (855), and KILSHANNIG (858). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 986. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

• KE054-062001 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  St. John the Baptist's Well/Tobar Eoin Baiste: A drystone-built well located on the W side of Minard Bay, about 150m NE of Kilmurry church (KE054-061----). A small stone which stands above the well bears a plain, inscribed Latin cross on its E face. Rounds are made here on the 29th of August and a pattern was formerly held on the same day (Ó Danachair 1960, 76). Holy well described by Ó Danachair (1960, 76) as, 'A small well, walled in drystone to a foot over ground level and banked up on the outside; on the bank stands a small upright slab with a roughly incised cross. Rounds are still made on the 29th of August, on which day a pattern was held formerly. The water is drunk and hands and face washed. Pebbles are used to count the rounds. The water cures headache, toothache and other pains. Small objects are left as offerings. The water is some times taken for domestic use. Legends : Saint John's head was seen near the well. The water stays fresh however long it is kept. A blind man saw a vision of the saint at the well and was cured. A golden fish lives in the well; it was taken in some water, which would not heat until the fish was restored to the well'. Folklore collected between 1937-38 from Breac-Cluain school recorded the following tradition; 'There is a holy well behind at Minard. It is near the sea. There is a wall around the well. The people pay the round on the 29th of August. the people go around the well nine times. Every one that pays the round must get nine berries and at every round they will drop a berry. There is a trout in the well. Any one that will see the trout will be cured. There is a stone standing at the top of the wall and there is a cross on the stone. The people that pay the round leave offerings at that stone. The people leave a few coppers and buttons and pins and the women leave a tassel of their shawl. After you would leave the round paid you would take three sups of the holy water. On you taking the water you would bless your self. Some people bring home the holy water to drink. As long as you would have the holy water in the house it would be fresh. The well is up on a height. The water cures a headache. The name of the well is Tobar Naomh Eoin baiste' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0426, Page 604-05; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4678409/4678276). See attached photographs of St. John the Baptist's Well, Co. Kerry, taken 1947 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.18.00304 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16887; F025.18.00305 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/24629; F025.18.00306 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/24630. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 946. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 14 April 2022

• KE054-062002 Cross-inscribed stone
  Description

  St. John the Baptist's Well/Tobar Eoin Baiste (KE054-062001-): A small stone which stands above the well bears a plain, inscribed Latin cross on its E face. Rounds are made here on the 29th of August and a pattern was formerly held on the same day (Ó Danachair 1960, 76). The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 946. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

• KE054-063 Castle - tower house
  Description

  Minard Castle: This was undoubtedly the last of the FitzGerald castles to be built on the peninsula and was probably in existence less than a century when it was blown up by Cromwellian forces c. 1650 (Smith 1756, 195-6). The ruins consist of a rectangular tower house, 15.2m x 12.3m externally, built of roughly dressed sandstone blocks and split stone, with a rubble core of chippings and beach pebbles laid in a strong mortar. The ashlar quoins are alternatively face-bedded and the dressings are of sandstone throughout. Three storeys of the castle survive, but a 4th or attic storey probably existed above this. The 1st and 2nd storeys were vaulted (both vaults now collapsed) and the castle is in very poor condition. Undermining of the corners at ground floor level and defacing of the foundation courses, allied to the large cracks which extend vertically up the W and N walls, pose a very serious threat to the stability of the extant remains. The N, S and W walls survive to the springing line of the upper vault, but with the exception of the attached E returns of the N and S walls, the E wall stands to a height of only 2.5m. The internal layout of the castle is unusual in that the E end is occupied entirely by mezzanine floors, the lower floor commencing c. 2.5m above the main ground floor chamber. A circular stairs in the SE angle begins at this level. The ground floor has a marked base batter returned on all sides to a height of c. 2.8m. The entrance was at ground level, at the S end of the E wall. The head and N jamb of the doorway have been broken away, and only section of the broadly chamfered S jamb remains. The opening was rebated internally for a door, and externally for a hinged iron grille, secured from a housing in the S ingoing by a chain passing through a hole in the S jamb. The entrance leads to a mural lobby with remains of a murder hole served from the mezzanine floor above. The lobby communicated with the ground floor chamber by a doorway with projecting chamfered jambs; its pointed head has now fallen. This chamber was roofed by a segmental vault, raised on wicker centering, the structural corbels for which survive on the W wall. The collapse of the vault is reputedly due to the explosion in 1650 (McKenna 1979, 13). The ground floor was lit by 3 double-splayed vertical loops, c. 0.9m in height, centrally placed in the N, S and W walls. They are set in wide embrasures with segmental rear arches; traces of wicker centering are retained on the soffits. The jambs are rebated internally for wooden shutters, and the pivot holes and draw bar sockets survive. There is a wall-cupboard in the NE corner, its S side now broken away. An internal wooden stairs must have existed to provide access to the 1st floor. The W and N walls of the main chamber at 1st floor level are considerably reduced in thickness, but the S wall projects to rest on the vault. The chamber was lit by 3 ogee-headed windows in the S, W, and N walls, with double chamfered jambs and sills, splayed ingoings and segmental rear arches. Draw bar sockets and pivot holes for shutters are preserved. The windows are set in wide embrasures; their beds, now much broken, are only slightly elevated above floor level. There are 2 wall-cupboards at the N and S ends of the W wall and a large set-back fireplace at the E end of the N wall. The latter now lacks its flat lintel but the moulded corbel supports are retained. A square-headed doorway in the W ingoing of the window embrasure in the S wall leads to a mural chamber; the floor level here is below that of the main room and a short flight of steps (now broken) descends to it. The N wall of the mural chamber is checked to receive a door which closed against the window embrasure. The chamber has a well-preserved barrel vault, with traces of wicker centering still visible on its soffit. A short section near the entry is raised above the remainder. There are 2 narrow rectangular loops, c. 1.2m in height, with chamfered dressings, splayed ingoings and projecting slop stones, in the S wall. The draw bar sockets and pivot holes for wooden shutters survive. The S wall of the main 1st floor chamber is splayed at its E end to accommodate a door which closed against the stairwell. Only section of the pointed head and S jamb of this door survive; the remainder, together with the N wall of the stair into which it was bonded, has fallen. A three-quarter turn descent, lit by a square-headed loop with chamfered dressings and splayed ingoings, communicated directly with the lower mezzanine floor. This was little more than a vaulted passageway commanding the murder hole which was awkwardly positioned at the foot of the stairs. The N section alone of the vaulted roof survives and only the NE and SE angles of the main E wall of the castle are preserved at this level. Entry to the 2nd mezzanine storey was gained directly from the E end of the main 1st floor chamber. The higher level of the mezzanine would have necessitated a stepped ascent, but no trace of steps are preserved in the surviving section of the internal dividing wall. This storey accommodated a garderobe chamber at its N end, entered by a S facing doorway now lacking its dressings. The garderobe was fitted with a wall press in its W wall, and lit by a loop in the E wall; only the splayed ingoing and chamfered N jamb of the latter remain. This mezzanine storey also had a vaulted roof; the extant section over the garderobe preserves traces of wicker centering on its soffit. Access to the 2nd floor of the castle was by means of the circular stairs in the SE angle. The bond holes for the wooden treads and risers are visible, but as only the shallow string on which these rested now survives, this floor proved inaccessible. The ascent from 1st to 2nd floor level was lit by a window in the E wall of the stairwell, only the S ingoing of which remains. A doorway at 2nd floor level, preserving only its S jamb and section of its pointed head, led from the stairwell to a mural passage in the thickness of the S wall. The passage was roofed by flat lintels, now surviving only in the E sector. Immediately S of the doorway, the splayed ingoing and chamfered E jamb of a window survive, and undoubtedly there were other similar openings in the fallen section of the S wall. The SW corner of the castle does not survive to this level, but may have contained an angle loop similar to that at the NW corner. The splayed ingoing and chamfered N jamb of a window ope are preserved in the ragged W wall of the passage and a doorway near the E end of the N wall communicated with the main 2nd floor chamber. This doorway, now lacking its head, had plain jambs rebated for a doorway which closed against the passageway. The main 2nd floor chamber had a timber floor carried on corbel courses on the N and S walls. A window in the W wall has fallen, and the wide embrasure in which it was set now lacks its rear arch. There are 2 wall-cupboards at the N and S ends of the W wall. A series of corbels (6 of which survive), which project from the N and S walls above cupboard height, may have supported the temporary wooden trussing used in the construction of the vaulted roof. A narrow ogee-headed window in the N wall has chamfered jambs and sill, and splayed ingoings. In the W wall of the embrasure in which it is set, is a square-headed doorway, with projecting jambs, leading to a mural passage in the thickness of the N wall. The passage is lit by 2 narrow rectangular windows in the N and W walls, and an angle loop in the NW corner. The latter now lacks its ingeniously carved mullion, which converted it from an angle loop proper to two N and W facing opes with chamfered dressings. Entry to the 3rd mezzanine storey was probably from the E end of the main 2nd floor chamber, but only a short section of the internal dividing wall survives to this level. The extant section forms the W wall of the garderobe chamber accommodated in the N end of the

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Kilmurry.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility high, moderately high, moderately low, low, on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Kilmurry.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Kilmurry with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Kerry.

Name

Kilmurry · Cill Mhuire

Area

210,533 m² (21.05 ha, 52.02 acres)

Civil parish

Minard, and its townlands

Barony

Corkaguiny

Electoral division

Minard, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Minard electoral division: 444 people in 160 households; 75% of households own their home; 38% of homes were built since 2001; 17% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 16% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Glanminard, Minard East

Gaeltacht

In an Irish-speaking area

Placenames

Kilmurry on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.