Fahy & Quansboro

The first reference to Kilquain (now called Quansboro) is in the Collectania Hibernica where Ulick McHoog is mentioned as being canon of Kilquain in 1668. The Registry of Meelick says that, in 1751 A.D. Father James Madden was interred at Meelick. He filled the office of Guardian many times and was Parish Priest of Meelick and Fahy for nearly fifty years. He had been ordained in Kilkenny in 1686. The Registry also mentions that in 1786 A.D. Fr Thomas Broder, Parish Priest of Meelick and Fahy, died. There is also a reference in the ‘Index of Clonfert Wills’ to Fahy and Meelick being one Parish in 1800. It’s clear that for much of the 18th century, Meelick and Fahy was one parish.

The first mention of ‘Fahy and Quansboro’ is in the Catholic Directory of 1846. The term ‘Quansboro’ has changed over the years. ‘Queenboro’ is mentioned in the Catholic Directory of 1836. In the following year the word ‘Queensborough’ is used. In 1843 it’s ‘Quinsboro’ and in 1844 & 1845 it’s ‘Quansboro’. Although ‘Fahy and Quansboro’ is used in the Directories of 1846 and 1847, in the following year, 1848, the term ‘Kilquain and Meelick’ is used. But from 1849, the parish was called ‘Fahy and Kilquain’, ‘Fahy and Quansboro’ or simply ‘Fahy’.