NatCathedral · 1150–1250Saint Flannan's Cathedral (Killaloe)Royal Parade, KillaloePhoto: Andreas F. Borchert · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons file
Saint Flannan's Cathedral (Killaloe) · Photo: Andreas F. Borchert · CC BY-SA 4.07buildings on the National Inventory
History of Killaloe · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Killaloe, recorded since 1150: 7 buildings on the National Inventory
Killaloe has kept more old homes than most towns: 10% were built before 1919, against 3.4% in the typical town. It is a historic town on the Sites and Monuments Record, with 22 archaeological sites inside it. Killaloe has 7 buildings on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, 2 of them of national importance.
On the National Inventory
7
Of national importance
2
NIAH National or International, and national monuments
Archaeological sites
22
Sites and Monuments Record
Oldest building
1150
the first date on its record
Homes built before 1919
10%
typical town: 3.4%
In pictures
4 photos of Killaloe’s landmarks, and 1 old views
2 of the highest-rated places in Killaloe have a photo. So far the camera has reached 3 of Killaloe’s recorded places. From 1900 come the old photographs of Killaloe.
Saint Flannan's Catholic ChurchNational rating (NIAH)
St. Molua's ChurchArchaeological monument (SMR)
Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart and Saint LuaRegional rating (NIAH)+1See all photosPhotos from Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server, each credited to its photographer with its licence; names open the place’s page. Tap a photo to step through them full screen.
Through time
Killaloe in old photos
1 old photograph, made before 1950.
1900From Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server: public domain, or from the National Library of Ireland’s collections (Lawrence, Poole, Eason and others) with no known copyright restrictions. Each credit opens the image’s page.
How old
Most of Killaloe’s dated buildings come from the 19th century
Each building by the first date on its record.
Middle Ages 500–14991
1500–1799 three centuries1
19th century 1800–18995
1900 and later to today0
2 of the 7 dated ones were built before 1800. The oldest is Saint Flannan's Cathedral (Killaloe), from 1150.
The map
Where Killaloe’s history is
Every building and site on the record inside the town, by its rating.
National and InternationalRegional and other sites
Hover a dot for its name; tap one to open its page.
The 8, by rating
2 National and International6 Regional and other sites
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage is the State’s survey of buildings from 1700 to today, county by county; each record gives a rating, dates, a type and an appraisal. Being on it is not legal protection: that is each council’s Record of Protected Structures.
Points from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and the Sites and Monuments Record, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (CC BY 4.0).
National and International
2 places of national importance in Killaloe
Buildings the National Inventory rates National or International: of significance across Ireland or beyond. Each one opens its own page.
NatChurch / chapel · 1835–1840Saint Flannan's Catholic ChurchThomas Street, The Green, KillaloePhoto: The Banner · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons file
Regional and other sites
6 more historic places in Killaloe
Buildings rated Regional, of significance in their region, and archaeological monuments with an encyclopedia article.
SMRHouse · 1790–1810Abbey HouseRoyal Parade, Abbey Street, Killaloe
Rectory / glebe / vicarage / curate's house · 1820–1830The DeaneryAbbey Street, Killaloe
Court house · 1835–1840Killaloe CourthouseCourthouse Road, Killaloe
House · 1840–1860E. RichardsonMain Street, Killaloe
House · 1840–1860John CrottyMain Street, Bridge Street, Killaloe
What’s recorded
50% of the records in and around Killaloe are homes
The rating puts 2 of Killaloe’s buildings at national importance. Second on the record: churches and chapels, 3 of them. Two of the highest-rated records are Saint Flannan's Cathedral and Saint Flannan's Catholic Church.
Homes5
Churches and chapels3
Walls, gates and bridges1
Inns, shops and warehouses1
Types as the National Inventory records them, grouped, for the records inside the town and those just outside it that belong to it; a building keeps the type it was built as.
Archaeology and around
Archaeology in Killaloe
The Sites and Monuments Record lists every known archaeological site; most are field monuments with little to see. By kind:
22 archaeological sites inside the town
Sites on the Record of Monuments and Places, the statutory list drawn from this record, are protected by law: anyone planning work at or near one must give the National Monuments Service two months’ notice.
| Ritual site - holy well2 records |
| Cross-slab2 records |
| Cross - High cross2 records |
| Weir - regulating2 records |
| Historic town1 record |
| Bridge1 record |
| Church1 record |
| Architectural fragment1 record |
| Cathedral1 record |
| Cross - High cross (present location)1 record |
| Font1 record |
| Memorial stone1 record |
| Sheela-na-gig1 record |
| Church (present location)1 record |
| Graveyard1 record |
| 3 more kinds3 records |
Just outside Killaloe: 3
| Clarisford PalaceRegional rating (NIAH) · 100 m outside the town |
| Ballyvally HouseRegional rating (NIAH) · 200 m outside the town |
| Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart and Saint LuaRegional rating (NIAH) · 1.6 km outside the town |
Homes by age
More of Killaloe’s homes date in the 2000s than from any other period: 30%
Since 2011 Killaloe has added 8.5% of its homes, more than the typical town’s 5.8%. Killaloe has an unusual share of homes built between the wars: 10%, where most towns have 3.9%. Before 2001, Killaloe had already built more than half of the homes it has now.
10%
Before 1919
10%
1919–45
21%
1946–80
20%
1981–2000
30%
2001–10
8.5%
Since 2011
KillaloeTypical town
Census 2022, households by the year their home was built (CSO, Small Area Population Statistics, CC BY 4.0); the typical town is the middle Irish town of 2,500 or more.
Born here
4 notable people born in Killaloe before 1900
From Brian Boru (941) to Bob McConkey (1895): their lives on one timeline, earliest first.
Brian Boru
Alexander John Arbuthnot
Charles George Arbuthnot
Bob McConkey
9001050120013501500165018001950
BB
Brian Boru941–1014 · High King of Ireland
AA
Alexander John Arbuthnot1822–1907 · British official and writer
CA
Charles George Arbuthnot1824–1899 · British Army general
BM
Bob McConkey1895–1961 · Irish hurler
Everyone born in Killaloe → Birthplaces from Wikidata, each checked against the person’s English Wikipedia article; portraits from Wikimedia Commons.
Neighbours
Killaloe and its neighbours
| Town | People | National Inventory | National | Archaeological sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killaloe | 1,666 | 7 | 2 | 22 |
| Ballina | 2,959 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
| Castleconnell | 2,488 | 43 | 0 | 12 |
| Newport | 2,183 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Ardnacrusha | 1,229 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Annacotty | 3,398 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Westbury | 3,636 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
In brief
Killaloe in brief
Saint Flannan's Cathedral (Killaloe), from 1150, is the oldest monument in Killaloe. In all there are 8 places on the record, 2 of them in the top tier. Of its homes, 10% were built before 1919, against 3.4% in the typical town.
Most of its dated monuments come from the 19th century: 5 of 7. Brian Boru (941), Alexander John Arbuthnot (1822) and Charles George Arbuthnot (1824) are among the 4 people born here before 1900. The archaeological record adds 22 sites.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- The National Inventory. The State’s survey of post-1700 buildings, made county by county since 1990 (NIAH); a few records are older. It records; it does not protect.
- Ratings. International and National: of significance across Ireland or beyond. Regional: in its region. Local and record-only buildings get no page here.
- Archaeology. The Sites and Monuments Record (National Monuments Service) lists known archaeological sites; the national monuments to visit and the sites with an encyclopedia article get pages here.
- Protection. Both registers are surveys, not protection: a building is protected by its council’s Record of Protected Structures, and no national open list joins the 31 councils’ records.
- The grade. Ireland’s History grade is not built yet: the page describes, and gives no grade.
Questions about Killaloe’s history
How many historic buildings are recorded in Killaloe?
7 buildings on the National Inventory, 2 of them of national importance, from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Which places in Killaloe are of national importance?
Saint Flannan's Cathedral (Killaloe) and Saint Flannan's Catholic Church.
What is the oldest building in Killaloe?
Saint Flannan's Cathedral (Killaloe): the first date on its record is 1150.
Are there archaeological sites in Killaloe?
Yes: the Sites and Monuments Record lists 22 archaeological sites inside Killaloe.
How old are the homes in Killaloe?
10% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3.4% in the typical town.
Are the buildings on this page protected?
Being on the National Inventory or the Sites and Monuments Record is a record, not protection by itself: buildings are protected by their council’s Record of Protected Structures, which each council keeps and no national open list gathers, so this page can’t say which are on it.
History is described here, not graded.
Source: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and Sites and Monuments Record, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata (CC0).
Sources: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (buildingsofireland.ie) · Sites and Monuments Record and the National Monuments Service’s monuments to visit · CSO Census 2022 (homes by the year built) · Photos: Wikimedia Commons, including the National Library of Ireland’s collections, each credited with its licence and copied to our own server · Wikidata and English Wikipedia for people born here · Wikidata (CC0) for other names and articles. Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).