Meelick, County Galway

There are other places called Meelick in County Clare and County Mayo.

Meelick (Míleac in Irish) is a townland on the River Shannon in Ireland. It lies some 4 km southeast of Eyrecourt in County Galway.

Oldest Catholic Church in use

Meelick has the oldest Irish Roman Catholic church with continuous use since 1414 AD. ^[1] Originally founded as a Franciscan abbey, the church and sacristy are still in use today. The ruins include traces of the transept chapel, friary and small mill. Papal permission for Meelick friary was granted by John XXII in 1414. The last friar of Meelick was Fr. Bonaventure Francis Reynolds. When he died in November 1852, there was no friar available to replace him. Since then the church has been maintained for weekly services.

Fishing

Meelick Lock on the River Shannon

Meelick is also a well-regarded location for fishing, primarily salmon and wild brown trout. ^[2] The river here is wide (over 1.5 km from bank to bank at its broadest point) and full of islands, weirs, pools and streams. Meelick is a known angling location when the salmon are running and has some varied waters ranging from fast runs to glides and pools to slow deep stretches. There are islands separating an artificial cut on the Co. Offaly bank with the main River Shannon at Meelick on the Co. Galway bank. It has a very small spring salmon run: best time April into mid-May. Summer salmon arrive generally from mid-June in normal years and fishing is best up to mid-July and it is at this time that anglers tend to fish the area. Runs are moderate and variable from year to year. Meelick regularly attracts a large number of fishing tourists from England.

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1887

In 1887 Meelick were one of the first teams to compete for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the first national championship of the game of hurling ever held in Ireland. Representing County Galway in the final, Meelick were defeated by Thurles, representing County Tipperary. The game was held in Birr in County Offaly in front of a crowd of 5,000. Patrick Madden, captain of the Meelick side, is commemorated with a plaque on the gable end of his birthplace and lifetime home in the village.

Meelick-Eyrecourt is the name of the local Gaelic Athletic Association club today.

Meelick Lock

Meelick Lock is one of the busiest locks on the Shannon Waterway. It was built in the mid 19th. century and replaces an earlier lock. The river crossing at this location has a long history and is therefore guarded by substantial defences including a Martello Tower.

Annalistic references

From The Annals of the Four Masters:

• M1557.7. A hosting was made by the Lord Justice to banish the O'Conors of Offaly from Meelick, after having heard that they were there; and he conveyed and carried great guns to Athlone, and from thence sent them in boats to Meelick, while he himself marched his army through Bealach-an-fhothair, and by Lurgan-Lusmhaighe. He afterwards took Meelick and Breac-chluain, and slew Donough, the son of Colla, together with others of the warders. The entire territory was plundered and ravaged on that occasion. The sons of Melaghlin Balbh were banished from the territory, together with the insurgents. The Lord Justice left an English constable at Meelick, i.e. Master Francis, and took hostages from the two O'Maddens, namely, from Melaghlin Modhardha and Breasal, and other hostages from Mac Coghlan, namely, his son and others: and thus was Siol-Anmchadha taken, and it is not easy to state or enumerate all that was destroyed on that expedition. Three weeks before Lammas that expedition was made.

See also

• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Galway)
• List of towns and villages in Ireland

References

1. ^ Diocese of Clonfert, Ireland
2. ^ Meelick Salmon Fishery, Mid Shannon, Banagher - A Fisheries Guide