Kilmeena (Irish: Cill Mhíona)[1] is a civil parish and small village near Westport in County Mayo, Ireland. The area is served by a Roman Catholic church, an An Post post office,[2] and a national (primary) school.[3]
Kilmeena
Cill Mhíona | |
|---|---|
Civil parish | |
.jpg) St Brendans Catholic church in Kilmeena | |
  Kilmeena Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°50′37″N 9°34′28″W / 53.8437°N 9.5745°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Mayo |
| Irish Grid Reference | L964892 |
History edit
The Kilmeena ambush was the scene of a defeat for the local Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence.[4] On 19 May 1921, British troops surprised an IRA ambush party at Kilmeena. Five IRA men were killed and four were wounded and captured.[5] The remainder of the column fled over the mountains to Skerdagh. One Royal Irish Constabulary man and one Black and Tans member were also killed in the action.[citation needed]
Sport edit
Kilmeena GAA Club was founded in 1889. According to the club's records, the club first fielded a Gaelic football team against Westport at Kilmeena on 10 March 1889.[6] The club was reputedly affiliated to the Mayo county board in the same year. The club's grounds at Saint Brendan's Park were first opened in 1938, and a new club house was formally opened in 2000.[6] In 2022, Kilmeena won the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship with a win over Gneeveguilla of County Kerry at Croke Park.[7]
Song edit
In 1884, George Cooper and John Rogers Thomas wrote a song Sweet Flower of Kilmeena.[8]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Cill Mhíona / Kilmeena". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ "Kilmeena Post Office, Carrowbeg, Kilmeena, Westport, Co. Mayo". anpost.com. An Post. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ "History". stbrendans.ie.
- ^ "Five IRA men killed in botched ambush". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the Kilmeena Ambush". mayonews.ie. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ a b "History". kilmeenagaaclub.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
- ^ "History for Kilmeena who bring All-Ireland title to Mayo as they overcome Gneeveguilla". 6 February 2022.
- ^ "Sweet Flower of Kilmeena (Thomas, John Rogers) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download". imslp.org.[better source needed]