The Fox Covert

The Fox Covert is a little wood off the main road between Cappawhite and Doon.The Fox Covert got its name from an earth which was made for foxes by the hunt. There was a large amount of timber there until it was felled in 1908. A lot of that timber was sent to England and used as prop in mines.

Patrick Sarsfield camped here for a night on his journey to Ballyneety.The cover provided by the wood gave some protection from the British soldiers. It is rumoured that one of Sarsfield's men are buried there and this is why the area is known as "Knocknavar" or the hill of the man.

During Penal times there was a chapel at the Fox Covert. It was a small mud building with a mud floor and a thatched roof. The priest lived in a little house nearby. The first priest that was allowed to say Mass there was a Fr. Tadgh Ryan. He was fifty four years old when he signed the bond before the judge in Nenagh. Up to then he had been in the area in an unofficial capacity.

People from surrounding areas came to Mass at the Fox Covert.In Hollyford the priest used to ring a bell to let people know that there would be Mass in the Fox Covert. The place where he rang the bell is known as "Foilaclog" or the cliff of the bell.

In 1803 a church was built in Cappawhite and the little chapel in the Fox Covert was no longer used.

 

 

Take a look at some of the local Placenames in Cappawhite Parish

Ardnagassane Árd na gCosán The height of the paths
Cappagh An Ceapach Land laid out for tillage
Cappawhite Ceapach na bhFaoiteach Plot of land,referring to Whyte surname
Druminda Drom Driseach The Briary Ridge
Inchinsquillib Inse an Scuilib Island of the Scollop
Kilbeg Cill Beag The little Church
Kilmore Cill Mór The big wood
Knockane Cnocán The hillock
Moanvaun Móin Bhán The white bog
Moher Mother An old ruin
Parkroe Páirc Rua The red field
Shanacloon Seanchluan The old meadow

 

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