Effin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Effin Eimhin
Townland and Civil Parish
Sign on way into Effin village
Effin Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	County Limerick
Population  (2009)
• Total	1,441
Irish Grid Reference	R5732523937

Effin (pronounced 'EF-in') is a small area in County Limerick, Ireland. It's located on the R515 road, right between the towns of Kilmallock and Charleville. About 1,000 people live in this area.

Effin is known for being in the Golden Vale, a very fertile farming region in Munster. Because of this, a lot of dairy farming happens here. The Ballyhoura Mountains, which separate County Limerick from County Cork, are found at the southern end of the parish.

Discover Effin's Past

Effin gets its name from Saint Eimhin, whose name is pronounced 'EF-in'. Long ago, important local families like the Balies and Low Holmes lived here. The Balie family lived in a place called Newpark, and the Holmes family lived in Maidenhall.

There is a special silver cup, called a chalice, that is still used in Effin today. It has an old message carved on it from 1633. Effin has also been noted as having one of the more unusual place names in Ireland.

Explore Effin's Landmarks

Effin Church

The main church in Effin was built by Father David Nagle between 1835 and 1836. When he passed away in 1847, he was buried there. The church was updated in 1981. Inside, near the entrance, there is a statue of the crucifixion. This statue was given to the church by Michael Rea.

Canon Hayes Hall

The people of Effin built a community hall in the 1950s. It was made to remember John, Canon Hayes, who was a very important person. Canon Hayes started an organization called Muintir na Tíre, which helped rural communities. He believed that small towns in Ireland should work together to help themselves. He died in 1957 while the hall was being built. Fifty years later, a book about the hall's history was published.

Old Graveyards and Chapels

In the past, Effin was connected with two other parishes, Kilquane and Kilbreedy Minor. There used to be small chapels in these areas. By the 1830s, the Kilbreedy Minor church was mostly in ruins. Only parts of its walls were left.

The Kilquane church was made of brown sandstone and stood at the foot of Cahir Hill. By 1840, very little of this old building remained. Another church, Kilbigly church, had completely disappeared by 1840. The Kilquane area had its own chapel until the 1830s, when a new chapel was built in Effin. Before it closed, about 600 people attended mass there every Sunday. It was a chapel with a thatched roof. Today, there are no remains of it. The last part of it, the sacristy, was still standing around 1910 and was used by a local shoemaker. The old boundary wall and entrance can still be seen.

Effin's Wells

There are several old wells in the Effin area, some of which were once important pilgrimage sites.

• Lady's Well: This well is in the townland of Ballyshanedehy. It was a pilgrimage site in the past but stopped being one in the early 1900s. Locals used it for water until the 1940s. It has been restored by the landowner.
• Tobar Rí an Domhnaigh: Located in Ballymacshaneboy, this well means "The well of the King of Sunday." Nine smaller wells surround it. People believe it was stone-lined by a grateful father whose daughter's eyesight improved after using its water. A local man cleaned it in 1966 and built a small shrine. People still visit this well today.
• Toberacran: This well, in Gortnacrank, means "well of the tree." It stopped being a pilgrimage site by 1840.
• Saint Bridgit's Well: In Kilbreedy townland, this well was no longer a special site by 1840. It was a small, clear pool believed to cure sickness, especially sore eyes.

Effin Creamery

Effin is known for its local creamery, where Effin cheese is made. Many farmers in the area used to bring their milk here.

Effin's Townlands

Effin parish is made up of many smaller areas called townlands. Each has an English and Irish name, often with a meaning that tells us something about the place.

Garrienderk Townland

Garrienderk or Garrynderk is a small townland and settlement. It is located on the R515 road, close to Charleville and the border with County Cork. It is next to Effin townland and is part of Effin parish. The church in Garrienderk was built in the 1800s and is named after Saint Patrick.

Education in Effin

Scoil Mhuire National School is the local primary school in Effin. It teaches both boys and girls. The school first opened its doors in 1941. In the 2016/2017 school year, there were four teachers and 125 students. The current principal is Anne-Maria Murphy.

Sports in Effin

Effin's County and Munster Intermediate Champions team in 2011

Effin has a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club that has been around since 1887. The club has its own sports field with changing rooms and a stand for spectators.

In 2010, Effin's hurling team won their first-ever county final. They then went on to win a Munster title, which is a big achievement. However, they were defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final. In 2011, they won the Intermediate Hurling County Championship and another Munster Title. As of 2023, the club plays in the Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship. In 2012, the club celebrated being 125 years old! Several hurlers from Effin have played for county teams, including Nicky Quaid, Ned Rea, Conor O'Donovan, and Tommy Quaid.

Notable People from Effin

• Tim Hannan: He wrote a column for the Limerick Leader newspaper from 1933 until he died in 1948. He used the pen name "Rambling Thady." He was also a local school teacher, a councillor, and a well-known public figure.
• John C. O'Riordan: He was born in Effin and later became a Catholic bishop in Sierra Leone.
• Brother Stephen Russell: Born Jim Russell on Christmas Day in 1911 in Thomastown, Effin. He was a soldier in World War II and also a poet. After the war, he started the Alexian Order. In 1948, he helped set up a new house for the Alexian Order in Cobh, County Cork. His first book of poems was published in 1972, and he gave all the money from it to help the Simon Community. He passed away in 1975.