History
The Parish of Seir Kieran dates
back to the year 450 when St, Kieran set up his monastery there. Situated
in the territory of the O'Carrolls of Ely, the area witnessed many battles
from 450 until the Synod Of Rathbrasil in 1118 when the seat of Ossory
was changed from Seir Kieran to Aghaboe. In the Early 13th, century the
old Irish order of monks living at Seir Kieran was replaced, the monastery
Church and parish were handed over to the Canons Regular of the order
of Saint Augustine who established a community there and continued
in possession down to the Reformation. In 1548 the priory of Seir Kieran
was burned and destroyed by the English and O' Carroll
From 1552 onwards
the rights of the bishop of Ossory to the parish were put aside temporarily
as a lease incorporating the tithes of the parish was awarded to John Croft
by the Crown. According to the Red Book of Ossary a large stone house
thatched with straw in the Priory of St. Kieran was then used as the parish
Church.
Since the Reformation the siritual needs of the people of Seir Kierans
were attended to by the Parish Priests of Kinnitty in the Diocese
of Killaloe,but in no other way, other than that of administrators .The
parish has never ceased to belong to the Diocese of Ossory .The arrangement
with the Diocese of Killaloe was in force until 1830 when Robert Power
was appointed full canonical parish priest of Seir Kieran.
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