Kilkelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kilkelly
Irish: Cill Cheallaigh
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Village
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Street and post office in Kilkelly
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 Kilkelly
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Mayo |
| Elevation | 77 m (253 ft) |
| Population
(2016)
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373 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | M441916 |
Kilkelly is a small village in County Mayo, Ireland. Its name in Irish, Cill Cheallaigh, means 'church of Cellach'. You can find Kilkelly just south of Ireland West Airport. It is also located on the N17, which is a main road connecting the cities of Galway and Sligo. In 2016, about 373 people lived in Kilkelly.
Contents
History of Kilkelly
Ancient Buildings and Sites
The Kilkelly area has signs of very old settlements. One example is a ringfort site in a place called Liscosker. A ringfort is a circular area surrounded by an earth bank and ditch, used as a home and defense long ago.
South of Kilkelly village, there is an old church site with a graveyard. This place is linked to Saint Celsus, an important historical figure. Today, the modern Roman Catholic church of Saint Celsus is north of the village. Nearby, you can also find Urlaur Abbey, which is a monastic site built in the mid-1400s.
The Story of Emigration
Kilkelly is famous because of a song called "Kilkelly, Ireland". An American songwriter named Peter Jones wrote this song. In the 1980s, he found old letters from the 1800s. These letters were sent to his Irish ancestor, who had moved to America, from his ancestor's father back in Kilkelly.
Peter Jones used these letters to write a ballad. The song tells the story of his own family and many others who were separated because people had to leave Ireland to find new lives in other countries. It shows how families stayed connected even across the ocean.
Life in Kilkelly
Kilkelly has many useful places for its residents. You can find several shops, a pharmacy, and a post office. There is also a credit union branch, which helps people with their money.
The village also has a local primary school, known as a national school in Ireland. In 2010, more than 50 students were enrolled there, learning and growing in the community.
Notable People from the Area
- George Harrison was born in nearby Shammer. He was involved in Irish republican movements.
- Dominick Cafferky was a local farmer. He also became a politician for the Clann na Talmhan political party.
See also
In Spanish: Kilkelly para niños
