Settlement deserted - medieval

The National Monuments Service's description

Historic settlement of Clonshire described in the Urban Survey of Limerick as following; 'Clonshire is located to the south west of Limerick off the Limerick to Tralee road. According to O'Donovan the name is derived from Cluain siar, the "western meadow" but the earliest recorded form of the name Cluonsiebria hints at a different origin (MacCaffrey 1907, 26, 28). The land seems to have belonged to the church throughout the Middle Ages and it was probably the bishops of Limerick who were responsible for the development of the settlement there (ibid.; Westropp 1906-7, 219). The earliest evidence for the presence of a borough occurs in a plea roll of 1252 which mentions five burgages at "Clonchere" (Westropp 1906-7, 219). In the Limerick rental of 1418 the burgagery of Cluaincheur was worth 25s 3d. (MacCaffrey 1907, 157) which suggests that the settlement may have survived the vicissitudes of the fourteenth century which caused so many settlements to be abandoned. References to the settlement cease, however, after this date although the church (LI021-029001-) and castle (LI020-159----) continue to crop up in documents. It is possible that this was a dispersed borough because the known elements, the castle, mill and church are some distance from one another. Topographically, however, the likelihood is that settlement was concentrated in the vicinity of the castle' (Bradley et. al. 1989, 103-04).
Westropp recorded the following details about Clonshire; '1201 Cluonsiebra held by the Church of Limerick (B.B.L., p. 14). Reg. de S. Jacobo granted a mark off Clonshire to said cathedral (Ib., I, xi.). 1252 Suit of Adam f. Rob. Rufi Capell and T. Oregan, or Orachan, as to five burgages in Clonchere (Plea R,, m. 5d). 1336 The manor of Cluaincheur held by Bishop de Rupefort (Rental). 1586 Cloneshere encastellan (Peyton, 197). 1608 Leased by the Bishop to W. Clarke (Vis. Reg., 1615). 1641 Jas. Crowe held it (Dep., 268). 1655 Clonshirebegg and Bohirbradagh, with two orchards, held by Captain W. Piggott in right of his wife (C.S., 52). 1659 Clonshiremore held by Captain T. Wal cott with a mill and Loughill (Rev. Exch. Orders, p. 51)' (Westropp 1906-7, 219).

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 11 December 2018

See attached ASI aerial photographs ASIAP – taken on 04/03/2006.

References

Westropp, T.J. 1906-7 The ancient castles of the county of Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 54-264.

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1989 Urban archaeological survey - county Limerick (3 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).

MacCaffrey, J. 1907 The black book of Limerick. Dublin.