Listed below are some interesting titbits of information relating to Kilbrin. The list will be updated periodically with new pieces as they become available.
Kilbrin is an anglicized version of the Irish name “Cill Bhrain”, which translates as “The Church Of St. Bran.” St. Bran, a nephew to St. Colmcille, was born in the 6th century, and is buried in the graveyard attached to the Long Tower Church in Doire Colmcille. His feast day is on the 18th of May.
Sir. Redmond Barry, born in Ballyclough House, in Kilbrin-Ballyclough parish, was the trial judge who sentenced the famous outlaw and bushranger Ned Kelly to death by hanging on the 29th of October, 1880 in Melbourne, Australia.. After Ned Kelly was sentenced, the judge issued the customary words "May God have mercy on your soul", to which Kelly replied "I will go a little further than that, and say I will see you there when I go". Twelve days after Ned Kelly was hung, Sir Redmond Barry died of the effects of a carbuncle on his neck.
When Kilbrin became Duhallow Champions in 1989, they were the first winning team to have a father and son combination playing together, namely Jer and Brian Aherne.
Archbishop Thomas William Croke, first Patron of the GAA was born in the townland of Dromin, Kilbrin in 1823, to parents William Croke and Isabella Plummer.
The racehorse, Monsignor, who won the Royal & Sun Alliance Hurdle in Cheltenham, in 2000, was bred by Ted Dennehy in Drominagore, Kilbrin. In the race in question, he broke the track record by over four seconds. The horse had eight wins in total, before an injury put an end to his career. His first victory at Cheltenham was in the Champion Bumper in 1999, which he won at odds of fifty to one!
Boetius MacEgan, Catholic Bishop of Ross, who was hanged by the English Parliamentarians after the battle of Macroom, was born in Ballygraddy, Kilbrin circa 1600.
The current Church in Kilbrin was built by Fr. Cornelious in 1832. On 26th May, 1831, Fr. Scully got a lease of the Church grounds from Mr. Joeseph Freeman & Mr. John Purcell for one penny per year forever. Fr. Scully, who died in 1857, is buried within Kilbrin Church.
Occupations in the 1911 census for Kilbrin parish included, amongst others, 1 Royal Artillery Captain, 1 retired Naval Medical Officer, 7 teachers, 1 Magistrate, 4 carpenters, 2 dressmakers, 2 gamekeepers, 1 mason, 5 blacksmiths and 1 shoemaker.
In Samuel Lewis's 'Topographical Dictionary of Ireland' published in 1837, he makes a reference to a "fine coal deposit" in the townland of Ballygraddy in Kilbrin, where lumps of coal "as large as a good-sized turnip can be dug up with a common spade."
The current National School in Kilbrin was opened in 1972, when the schools in Ballgraddy and Curraghs were amalgamated. The need for a new school to replace Ballygraddy and Curraghs was first discussed in the Dáil seven years previously, in 1965
In the old OSI maps of Kilbrin, there are 5 sites of standing stones, 3 Churches, 4 graveyards, 1 Abbey, 1 moated site, 1 barrow and 14 Fulachta Fiadh.
Kilbrin GAA was in existence as far back as 1888. In a newspaper article in the 'New Zealand Tablet', dated 8 June 1888, a reference is made to an address given by a Mr. J. 0. Flynn, M.P. to the Kilbrin Hurling Club in relation to the National League. Also in the 'New Zealand Tablet' dated 15 June 1888, a reference is made to a match between Kilbrin Rangers and Castlemagner during a 'Gaelic festival' held on St. Patrick's Day. Castlemanger were the victors in the match in question.
It is claimed that the ceremony of “burying the tithes” begun at Kilbrin. This is mentioned in the historical and topographical notes of Colonel James Grove White from 1913. The claim is also made in the Folklore collection from Ballygraddy School taken in 1938.
In the 1841 census, the population of Kilbrin parish was given as 4,121. By the 1911 census, this had fallen to 972. In the year 2000, the population of Kilbrin parish stood at 844.
Kilbrin have won the Duhallow Junior A Hurling Championship six times so far, in the years :1978, 1989, 1992, 1999, 2004 and 2007
When William Egan was introduced on the Cork side for the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Final replay v Waterford on July 17 2010, he became the first Kilbrin player to play Senior Championship for Cork since Tom Field (Ballygraddy) lined out for Cork v Tipperary on July 21st 1968.
The GPS coordinates for the center of Kilbrin village is 52°12'39.9” North by 8°49'58.5” West. Useful numbers to know if you ever get lost!
In the “Historical 6” B&W” maps available from OSI, a series of 21 seperate coal pits are marked within the townland of Garrison close to it's southern boundary to Drominagore. The coal pits are spread across 5 fields, spaced evenly apart in a line going from east to west.
If you have an interesting titbit on Kilbrin that you think should be added to this list, you can email it to hannonmartin@gmail.com!