Kilkishen


Kilkishen is a village in southeast County Clare, Ireland. The village is east of Quin and north of Shannon.

Demographics

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

Facilities

Kilkishen is in the civil parish of Clonlea and in the Catholic parish of O'Callaghans Mills.
The first church at Kilkishen 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 of St Senan's was completed in 1865. 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. There is a theory that the Clare Shout may have been a form of autumnal worship in pagan times.

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.