Dysert, County Clare

Dysert (Irish: An Díseart, meaning 'hermitage') is a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland.^[1] The parish was formerly called Dysert O’Dea, from its having been the territory of the sept of that name.^[2] It is part of the ecclesiastical parish of Dysart and Ruan. The ruins of O'Dea Castle and a 12th-century church of Dysert O'Dea Monastery are in the townland of the same name.

Dysert An Díseart
Civil parish
Victorian ruins of Synge's Lodge, Dysert
Dysert Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52.911316°N 9.066316°W / 52.911316; -9.066316
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	County Clare
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid Reference	R330871
Website	www.ruan.gaa.ie/sports/home

Location

Dysert civil parish is in the barony of Inchiquin. It is located between the villages of Corofin (to the north) and Kilnamona (to the south) on the R476 road. It is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the county town - Ennis. The River Fergus flows through much of the parish. The parish of Rath is located to the north-west, Ruan to the north-east, Kilnamona to the south and Inagh to the west. The parish borders the barony of Bunratty Upper to the east at the parish of Templemaley.^[3] Dysert is part of the parish of Dysart and Ruan in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe.^[4][5]

Antiquities

The Clare Archaeology Centre manages an archaeology and history trail that encompasses the restored 15th-century Dysert O'Dea castle, a 12th-century high cross and remains of a monastery said to have been founded in the 8th century.^[6]

In 1318 Richard De Clare decided to invade Ui Fearmaic and attack O’Dea. He reached Dysert on 10 May 1318 and was overwhelmingly defeated in the Battle of Dysert O'Dea, in which he lost his life. The English were not to return to Thomond for more than two centuries.^[7]

Notable people

• Diarmuid Mac Bruideadha (Brody), Irish poet, died 1563, of Kilkee and Ballybrody^[8]
• Tom de Paor, architect, born 1967^[9]

Townlands

The parish contains the townlands of Attyterrila, Aughrim Kelly, Aughrim Ross, Aughrim Toohy, Ahasla, Ballybrody, Ballycullinan, Ballygriffy (North), Ballygriffy (South), Ballynagonnaghtagh, Ballyteernau, Caherclanchy, Cappanakilla, Carhoo, Cloona, Cloontohil, Drumcurreen, Druminshin, Drummeer, Drummina, Dysert, Erinagh Beg, Erinagh More, Gortcurka, Kilcurrish, Killeenan, Knockaunanerrigal, Knockaunroe, Knockmore, Knockreagh, Magowna (East), Magowna (West), Mollaneen, Moyhullin, Rinerrinagh, Teeronaun, Toonagh, Toonagh Commons and Ross.^[10]

References

1. Dysert civil parish Archived 7 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine - Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved: 2014-04-01.
2. Lewis, Samuel (1840). A topographical dictionary of Ireland: comprising the several counties, cities, boroughs corporate, market, and post towns, parishes and villages ... : With an appendix describing the electoral boundaries of the several boroughs as defined by the act of the 2d. and 3d. of William IV. Lewis.
3. "1842 OS Map of County Clare". Clare County Library. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
4. "Dysart & Ruan". Diocese of Killaloe. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
5. "Dysart & Ruan". Killaloe Diocese. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
6. "Dysert O'Dea Castle, Corofin, County Clare". Clare Archaeology Centre. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
7. James Frost. "12. History of Thomond before it was formed into an English county: From the earliest times, to the death of De Clare, and expulsion of the English in 1318". The History and Topography of the County of Clare. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
8. Michael Mac Mahon. "Clann Bruaidheadha (Mac Brody)". Clare's Gaelic Bardic Tradition. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
9. "Aosdána". aosdana.artscouncil.ie.
10. "Map of Dysert Parish showing Townlands". Clare County Library. Retrieved 9 March 2014.