Kilrush Heritage Quarter

05/03/2026

Book Now for this amazing event, brought to you by Kilrush and District Historical Society. As well as a packed programme of speakers, there are also opportunities for one-to-one sessions with genealogy experts, historical tours of Scattery Island and Loop Head, and a Conference Banquet on the Saturday night.
This is an in-person event only - talks will not be live streamed. Places are very limited, so please do book your tickets now at the link below.

Book now for Kilrush Genealogy Conference 2026: From the Great Famine to the 1926 Census.

https://kilrushgenealogyconference.geektickets.ie/events/146998

03/12/2025

Late Night Shopping starts tomorrow in Kilrush! This is such a great initiative, and it's wonderful to see so many local businesses taking part. There will be music, mulled wine, mince pies and more in various spots, plus an entry into the prize draw in every business where you shop! Plus, you'll have an opportunity to see the draft Town Centre First plan and give your feedback with Kilrush Town Team.
Hats off to Clan, Beag, Banner Books, Moon & Sage.ie, Jellyfishmarketplace and all of the other wonderful businesses taking part. See you there!

03/12/2025

Lily De Sylva meets some Kilrush business owners including one business with a 170 years under it’s belt. In the run up to Christmas Kilrush is open late nightstThree Thursdays this year! On the 4th, 11th and 18th of December and 19 businesses in Kilrush will be open until 8pm! Dermot Hayes speaks...

03/12/2025

Here's another chance to catch our friend Joe Queally, next week at the Teach Ceoil, Kilrush.

11/10/2025

As we celebrate the completion of the roof at Crotty's Kilrush, let's look back to Heritage Week, when Naomi Gleeson kindly gave us a tour inside this iconic building, to see all that is being done to restore it to its former glory. The contrast between downstairs, where we could see just how much needs to be done, and upstairs where so much work has been done already, was phenomenal. It's wonderful to see so much care going into the restoration, and we can't wait to see the finished result.

11/10/2025

How wonderful! The new roof is completed and the scaffolding is down at Crotty's Kilrush ☺️
On to the next phase now, there is still lots to do - our very best wishes to Naomi and best of luck with the hard graft to come!

Voilà!!

Thanks to a very early & mighty meithel, the scaffolding is down to reveal our roof. No more leaks! And ready to go for another century! Huge thanks to all involved, a mighty job.

On now to the next phase: to fix the water damage in our return & toilets, as well as have our new boiler commissioned so that both bars can finally warm up & dry out.

Our accommodation is now closed until Easter to allow us carry out this phase. Thanks to all who stayed with us.(Ground floor will follow in the late summer, watch this space for our plans, few knots to unknot yet!)

Thank you one & all for your support.

07/10/2025

I'll be at Banner Books in Kilrush this Thursday to launch '10.000 Years Deep' (published by The O'Brien Press) with some help form Teresa Jackson of RCB Radio- South West Clare. It would be great to see you there.

07/10/2025

The first KDHS lecture of the 2025/6 season, entitled "Forgotten Lives: uncovering the story of the County Clare Mother and Baby Home", will be given by Rita McCarthy.

07/10/2025

Tonight!

The Story of the Colleen Bawn
Lecture by Pat Fitzgerald and Joe Queally

📍Kilrush Library
🕛Tuesday 7 October at 6.30pm

Pat Fitzgerald a native of Ballingarry, Co. Limerick, now living in Adare, is author of 'The Colleen Bawn'. The book was the first published in over sixty years on the story of Ellen Hanley a young beautiful girl scarcely sixteen years of age who was murdered by her so-called husband John Scanlan and his servant Stephen Sullivan over two hundred years ago.

Pat will be joined by local author and historian Joe Queally to tell the story which gripped the world and continues to be spoken of even two hundred years after her murder. The Colleen Bawn was laid to rest in Killimer cemetery in West Clare.

Clare Roots Society Kilrush and District Historical Society Clare Museum Kilrush Heritage Quarter

06/10/2025

Looking back on a wonderful evening of memories and stories with Joe Whelan and Joe Queally at The Museum of Irish Rural Life. Joe Queally will be back in Kilrush for History Week at Clare Libraries with the story of the Colleen Bawn. The event starts at 6.30 pm on Tuesday 7th October - full details here; https://clarelibraries.ie/events/the-story-of-the-colleen-bawn/

06/10/2025

History Week / Seachtain na Staire at Clare Libraries

Celebrate the history of Clare with a week of free talks, exhibitions and events taking place from 4-10 October at Clare Libraries.

Highlights include a Genealogy Day in De Valera Library, Ennis where genealogist Jane Halloran Ryan will be available for family history taster sessions, Brian Gurrin will talk about the Clare’s Census records in the Virtual Treasury of Ireland project and a Clare Roots lecture by Aoife Kelly will examine family histories through Kilfenora’s musical traditions.

Other events include:
• A Shannon Development Photographic Archive exhibition in Shannon Library
• A talk on the Colleen Bawn by Pat Fitzgerald and Joe Queally in Kilrush Library
• Ollie Byrnes on Music in Clare in De Valera Library
• An online lecture by Lucille Ellis on Parnell Street
• A writing workshop with poet Karen McDonnell inspired by local histories

The programme also includes talks on Paddy Hannan from Quin of Australian Gold Rush fame and a showcase of the digital imaging project on Clare Abbey.

Clare Museum will host a talk on Ardnacrusha where the sod was turned 100 years ago and will hold an Open Day on Thursday 9 October to celebrate their 25th birthday.

For full programme details, 🔗visit the link in our profile history or pick up a programme from your local library.

Online history lectures are available on Clare Libraries Youtube channel History Lectures.

Funded by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

05/09/2025

There is a wonderful programme for this year's Kilkee Brontë Festival, coming up next weekend (12/13 Sept.) at Cultúrlann Sweeney. See below for details, and follow Kilkee Civic Trust for more news.

Kilkee Civic Trust Newsletter

We bring you a further UPDATE and news of our Kilkee Brontë Festival 2025

Please find a copy of our “shop window” poster attached.

On top and centre of the poster, it features the new Kilkee Brontë Festival logo, designed by Jenny Bassett, our Festival Curator and MC for the upcoming weekend.

Also, to remind you that tickets are now available at Cultúrlann Sweeney Box Office or online at: www.ClareArts.ie

• When you land on the Clare Arts homepage, click on “Cultúrlann Sweeney” on the banner at the top of the page.

• Then, scroll down to the section titled “Theatre Opening Hours”, wherein you will find a clickable link for online ticket purchases.

• Alternatively, scroll down even further to the section titled “Contact Us / What’s on / Information”.
There you will find three boxes:
o The first for the Official Opening and Talk on Friday, 12th September
o The second for the Creative Writing Workshop on Saturday morning, 13th September
o The third for the series of three Talks on Saturday afternoon, 13th September

Please feel free to circulate this post, especially to your family and friends, to assist us in spreading news of events in and around Kilkee.

Every good wish,

Joseph McCloskey

Honorary Secretary,
Kilkee Civic Trust

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.kilkeecivictrust.org

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