In writing of Kinnitty O'Donovan speculates that the Church of Ireland church is on the site of the old monastery. Was it here that the high cross now at Kinnitty Castle originally stood?

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[Letter no. 38 from Thomas O'Conor ]

Birr,
February 2nd 1838.

Sir,

Kinnetty, now the name of a Parish in the Barony of Ballybritt, was formerly the name of a monastery and signifies "the Head of Eitteach", being in Irish Ceann Eitigh.

Let an extract of the legend be made which accounts for this name and is found in the Dinnseanchus under the head "Teathbha."

The Monastery of Kinetty was situated on the confines of Elia (Ely) and Ferrkellia (Ferakellia, Fearaceall) according to Colgan in Note 103 to Chapter XXXIX of Lib. I of Adamnan's Life of St. Columbkille, Triad. Than. page 349. The note is given in page 380, in which Colgan observes the circumstances of the lives of four Saints of the name Finanus in order to identify one of them with the Finanus mentioned by Adamnan in the Life above referred to. In the enumeration he states that:-

The third was Finanus, surnamed Cam, Abbot of Kennetigh on the confines of Elia and Ferrkellia (Ferakellia) as appears from his life which we will give at the 7th of April. Since then that monastery is on the confines of Elia and Ferrkellia (Ferakellia) on which also is the Monastery of the Plain of the Oak Wood or Dar Magh, the circumstance of time sufficiently affords to deem him the same St. Finanus who, according to Adamnan here, led the life of an Anchorite for many years near the Monastery of "the Plain of the Oak Wood" , unless a calculation of time would oppose this conclusion, by which calculation this Finanus is shown to have lived in the time of S. Adamnan and by consequence about or after the year 660. For St. Finanus of Kennetigh was disciple was disciple of St. Brendan of Clonfert, as is read in 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 of his life already cited. When, therefore, St. Brendan died in the year 576, it does not appear probable that his disciple, who in his (Brendan's) lifetime presided over the aforesaid Monastery of Kennetigh, as is read in Chapter 8 already cited, lived afterwards down to the time of S. Adamnan about or after the year 660."

In the Life of Mochoemoc at XIII of March AA. SS. p. 593, it is said in Note 23 to Chapter 18, that "St. Finianus was at that time in the Monastery of Liath, etc., which was in Helia." There is a misprint here in Colgan's Note.

Colgan observes that Finianus here ought to be read Finanus. "For at the same time and in the vicinity in the country of Helia flourished St. Finanus of Kinneteigh, whose life you have at the 7th of April."

The words in Chapter 18 as given in N. 23 are: "Et S. Finanus (Finianus?) tunc erat in Monasterio Liath, etc." By tunc here is meant the time when a certain scribe came to the Monastery of St. Pulcherius, as is read in the Chapter here given and by eodem tempore in these words of the note, viz., "Floruit enim eodem tempore & in vicinia in regione Heliae S. Finanus de Kennetigh cujus vitam habes ad 7 Aprilis", is meant that S. Finanus flourished in Kennetigh Monastery at the same time that St. Pulcherius was in Liath Monastery. Thus, we see, they were contemporary.

Kinnetty is placed at Slieve Bloom in the Appendix to the Life of St. Finanus, Bishop, IX Jan. AA. SS. p. 46, where it is said that: "S. Finan, surnamed Cam of Kennetigh (Kennetigh) at Mount Bladma, sprung from the tribe of Corcoduibhne (Corcaguinny in Kerry) is venerated on 7th April."

Kinnetty may be said properly enough to be at the foot of Slieve Bloom, which was called Sliabh Bladhma by the Irish.

The Calendar has Fionan Cam o Chinneitigh agus o Sliabh Bladhma 7 April, that is, Finan Cam (the Stooped) of Kinnetigh and of Sliabh Bladhma. 7th April is his festival.

O Sliabh Bladhma must be an error in Tipper's Copy for A Sliabh Bladhma, which latter accords with the words of Colgan, viz., and Montem Bladhma. The 7 (agus) was introduced through an entire misunderstanding of what was meant by the original.

In the Leabhar Breac or Speckled Book of the Mac Egans, Folio 9 B. is read: "Finan Camm Ettig Mac Cindedig, etc.," that is, Finan Camm (the Stooped) of Cindettig (Kinetty), the son of Cindedig (Kennedy).

And in Folio 10 d: "Finan Camm Eattigh i ccoicrich Heli agus Fhercell," that is, Finan Camm (the Stooped) of Cind Ettig (Kinnetty) on the confines of Heli and Fercell.

From all the authorities adduced we see that Kinnetty is placed on the confines of Ely and Fearaceall, whence it is evident that Ely O'Carroll extended northwards, at least as far as Kinnetty, where it was met by the southern boundary of Fearaceall, (near which, i ccomhfochraibh, always means in the neighbourhood of).

No remains of any religious edifice exist at present at Kinnetty; it is thought the Parish Church occupies the site of St. Finan's Monastery. In the Churchyard there is found no ancient inscription which might indicate the antiquity of the place. There is one headstone in it which bears some ornamental lines indented on it and is looked upon by the people as being of remote date. St. Finan's Day is not remembered; there was a well within the Village of Kinnetty which some say, through faint recollection, was called Finan's Well, but it is now closed up.

The Annals of the Four Masters record at the year 1213, that:-

"The English of Ireland led a great army to Droichet Fine against Cormac, the son of Art, where a battle was fought in which the son of Art was defeated and Roderick O'Kierdha killed. The son of Art was banished from Dealbhna and his people were plundered. The English went to Athlone and erected a castle there. They also erected the Castle of Ceann Eitigh, the Castle of Birr and the Castle of Durmagh."

Mageoghegan's Annals record that in the year 1209 the Castle of Kinnety, the Castle of Byrre and the Castle of Lothra were broken down and quite destroyed by Mortogh O'Brien.

This is an unaccountable for, difference of date; it is strange that the latter Annals record the destruction of a castle, which was not erected till four years afterwards according to the former Annals.

There is not a vestige of a castle to be seen at Kinnetty. The site of a castle lies in the Townland of Tulla, where a small portion of the walls is said to remain.

It is said in Mageoghegan's Annals that in the year 871 Colga Mac Connagan, "Abbot of Kinetty, the best and elegantest poet in the Kingdom, and their chiefest Chronicler, died."

This passage ought to have been inserted immediately after what has been said of the Monastery of Kinnetty, but as it was not laid down there, it was found necessary to introduce it here.

Your obedient servant,
T. O'Conor.