O'Donovan's colleague, Thomas O'Conor provides in this letter some account of Kilcomon Church in south Offaly.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[Letter no. 45 from Thomas O'Conor ]

Roscrea
February 8th 1838.

Sir,

Doctor Lanigan, in Vol. II, pp. 395-7 of his Ecclesiastical History says that:-

"One of the principal abbetors of the Roman computation and promoters of its adoption by the southern Irish was Cummian, author of the celebrated 'Paschal Epistle to Segenius or Saint -----? Abbot of Hy and others. He seems to have been a Columbian Monk and was probably educated in the Monastery of Durrow, which was subject to the Superintendance of the Abbot of Hy. At the time of the proceedings now related he had apparently an establishment of his own which was, in all likelihood, that of Disert Chuimen (so called from his name) now Kilcolman or Kilcummin in the King's Co." (41).

In note (41) the Doctor states that Colgan says (ib., i.e., p. 411 and p. 408) that:-

"Disert Chuimin was at the borders of Leinster and Munster (old Munster) and west of Roscrea. This agrees with the situation of Kilcomin, which is seven miles west of that Town. (See Archdall at Kilcomin).

"Cummian placed some reliques of St. Peter and Paul in the Church of Disert Chuimin, and we may justly suppose that it is to them he alludes in his epistle. He represents his habitation as a sort of lurking place: 'Hec dixi, not ut vos impugnarem, sed ut me ut nycticoracem in domicilio latitantem defenderem.' This passage cannot be well understood as referring to the great Monastery of Durrogh; but it is very clear if applied to Disert Chuimin."

When Lanigan says that Disert Chuimin is now called Kilcolman or Kilcummin, I don't understand how Disert Chuimin is now called Kilcolman or Kilcummin, I don't understand how Disert Chuimin could analogically he called Kilcolman; if Kilcolman be intended as referable to Kilcolman, originally called Doire Mor, and now a Parish partly in Ballybrit and Clonlisk Baronies, there appears a total aberration in such identity; but if it be intended as an anglicised form of Cill Chuimin, a name posterior to Disert Chuimin, it is wrong in two ways: 1st, analogically, for it is contrary to every analogy to introduce 1 in Kilcolman, if formed from Cill Chuimin, as there is no 1 in the original; and in the next place in having no precedent for such a form; for Kilcomon, the name of a Parish in Clonlisk Barony, with which Disert Chuimin, without the least doubt, is attempted to be identified by Lanigan, is not found under the form Kilcolman in any document of which I make use at present.

The situation of Kilcomon old Churchyard agrees with that of Disert Chuimin, with respect to its lying west of Roscrea, according to Colgan, above cited by Lanigan. As to its being placed on the borders of Leinster and Munster by the former writer, it must be remarked that it gives no definite idea of its locality exactly with respect to the limits of those countries. For we find that the same writer places on the confines of Munster and Leinster Doire Mor, now Kilcolman, which is six miles from the nearest point of the now known boundary between these Territories, as has been said in a former letter; and Dairmagh (Durrow) between which and the boundary of ancient Munster and Leinster, two Baronies, viz., Ballycowan and Ballyboy, intervene.

We may collect from what has been said that Kilcomon, agreeing with the situation of Disert Chuimin to the west of Roscrea, according to Colgan, whose authority has been already referred to, does not disagree with its locality on the borders of Munster and Leinster, according to the instances adduced. It lies about nine miles from the limits just mentioned.

For sincerity's sake it is but fair to acknowledge that Colgan described places in general, as he found them defined in the Irish MSS., furnished to him. And it is a fact that the writers, who left those places described in the MSS. were in the habit of locating religious establishments on the confines of two countries, when they actually existed in one of the countries and at some miles distant from the limit common to both.

Now we find the situation of Disert Chuimin, not disagreeing with Kilcomon with respect to Roscrea and the confines of Leinster and Munster. The next feature that leads to the identification of both is the local pronunciation of Kilcomon, which is Cill Chuimin, i.e., Cella Cumini.

Along with this, tradition remembers St. Cuimin as connected with this place. Within the Churchyard, in the north corner was St. Cuimin's Seat. The three flags which composed it lie now separate on the very spot. It is said that he was wont to frequent a well which lies in Cnocan Ruadh, about twenty perches to the west of the Churchyard. This well is not, however, called after his name.

Not far from Rutland House, Seat of George Minchin, Esq., and immediately to the right of a road that branches to Dunkerin, from the road leading from Kilcomon to Roscrea, is a stone with the impression of St. Cuimin's knees and head, lying between four trees called Cuimin's Trees, and in a field which goes by the name of Cuimin's Field. (Cuimin's Field lies, according to my informant, in Kylogue Townland. The trees and stone are about a quarter of a mile from the Roscrea Road). There is a circular cavity in the stone which contains water. St. Cuimin's Well is a general name in the immediate neighbourhood for it.

A tradition exists that St. Cuimin of Kilcomon was cotemporary with St. Cronan of Roscrea. That an agreement was made between them at one time to have the limits of their jurisdiction marked out, where they themselves should meet on a certain morning each having set out from his own establishment, and having gone in the direction of the other's. St. Cuimin being a very pious man, determined not to go out till he should celebrate Mass in the morning. When he was after celebrating it, as he went through the congregation, sprinkling them with Holy Water, St. Cronan was coming into (up) the very Church, and said, this will be the limit of our jurisdictions. St. Cuimin explained to him the reason why he himself had not gone out sooner, and requested of him not to take any advantage, but to let the limit be whersoever the sparges, which he held in his hand, should fall, after being cast forth. Agreed, said St. Cronan. On this Saint Cuimin sent forth the sparges, and both Saints walked together watching its fall, which happened in a stream at Anneville, near Clyduff (a Townland in Dunkerin Parish).

The two Saints found it there. St. Cuimin asked St. Cronan whether he was satisfied or not that the stream should be the boundary. St. Cronan, being a man of boisterous temper, got into a desperate passion, and commenced a violent attack on St. Cuimin, to avoid which, the pious St. Cuimin took to flight, and running towards his own establishment, turned off the way, and, concealing himself under a bunch of briars in a field, let St. Cronan pass by, and thus escaped his fury.

The field in which he sheltered himself is called Cuimin's Park, in which are the trees and stone above mentioned.

From what has been said, on the authority of Colgan, cited by Lanigan, from this tradition and the features to which St. Cuimin's name remains as yet attached, and which are in existence, we may safely conclude that the present Kilcomon, in Irish Cill Chuimin, is the place formerly called Disert Chuimin.

In the Churchyard of Kilcomon are some ruins of religious edifices. In the one which was the most central there appears to have been an apartment with a stone roof, exactly similar to the ones in Drumcullen and Rathlihin old Churches.

St. Cuimin's Day is not remembered. Michaelmas Day was the Patron Day of the Parish.

The description of the Parish of Kilcomine in the Down Survey, says that:-

"There are two small rivoletts passing through it, on which stands two mills, one at Clonlisk and one at Kilcomin, where likewise are the walls of a Church, and a Castle at Clonliske with an Irish towne."

It is traditionally said that the castle at Clonlisk in this Parish was erected and afterwards inhabited by O'Carroll.

The castle has been entirely demolished with the exception of a very small "butment" as I was informed.

Your obedient humble servant,
Thomas O'Connor.