About Terryglass Parish

Parish Introduction

The village of Kilbarron is situated in Newchapel (on the L1097 off the R493) on the boundary of the townland of Firgrove and Ballyquinlevan. It was named after the building of the present RC Church, Church of St Barron in 1814. It is a beautiful country village with beautiful views of Keeper Hill in the distance. Terryglass Village is situated on the R493. The ruins of the walls of the old Garrison stronghold can be seen and surround the old graveyard where over 240 headstones have been recorded. It has won the All Ireland title in the Tidy Towns Competition in 1983 and 1997. The village of Terryglass is a major tourist attraction throughout the whole year. The Parish of Terryglass-Kilbarron-Finnoe is situated in the northern tip of Co Tipperary and flanks the eastern shore of Lough Derg on the river Shannon for 25 kms, it consists of three separate villages Kilbarron Ballinderry Terryglass and Carrigahorig. It also incorporates the ancient parish of Finnoe. Two rivers flow through the parish, the  Ballyfinboy river which flows into Lough Derg near Drominagh and the Ballycolliton which forms the border with Monsea & Killodiernan parish and flows into Lough Derg at Luska Bay.

Most famous landmarks consist of one castle built by the Normans around the twelfth century and a series of tower house dotted throughout  the parish built by the descendants of the Gaelic chieftains  O'Brien and O Kennedy. which were designed as an early warning system in case of raiding. These were built around the fifteenth century and all were  built on raised areas with each individual one having a view of the others

 Ireland Reaching Out Team

There is a very active Ireland Reaching Out Team in the area with great success with contacts and friendships formed worldwide as a result of queries initially appearing on Ireland XO website. Bill Ryan and Helen Fox are the Parish Liaisons for Kilbarron-Terryglass and Robert Sorenson and Mairead Soresson are co-liaisons. 

Parish History

The Irish version of Terryglass is Tir Dhá Ghlas meaning “land of the two streams”. We are a parish in the Barony of Ormond Lower, Diocese of Killaloe and County of Tipperary. Situated in the north of the county on the shores of Lough Derg near where the River Shannon enters the Lough.

Terryglass was once known as Tír dá glass. A monastery (abbey) was founded there by Columba of Terryglass approx 549. He was said to be the son of Colum Mac Crinthainn and a disciple of St. Finnian of Clonard. The monastery became a centre of learning and produced (about 1160) The Book of Leinster, which is now housed in Trinity College Dublin. The Book is an important collection of history, tales and poems written in the Middle Ages. The Vikings frequently raided the abbey and in 1164 the abbey was burnt. A remaining wall from this abbey can be seen today at the back of the pub in the village. Terryglass has two historic wells, the Eye Well and the Headache Well, both of which are said to have curative properties.

The village of Kilbarron is situated in Newchapel**(on the L1097 off the R493) on the boundary of the townland of Firgrove and Ballyquinlevan. It was named after the building of the present RC Church, Church of St Barron in 1814. It is a beautiful country village with beautiful views of Keeper Hill in the distance.

For more on our history visit http://www.aughty.org/pdf/st_caimin_iniscaltra.pdf