Burke's East Galway
The culture, history and genealogy of the families of east Galway
I expect time will prove me right when I say few religious occasions I witness will be laden with such historical resonance as the first profession of perpetual religious vows of a Knight of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta to occur in Ireland since the […]
© Donal G. Burke 2014 The Killilea family are of Gaelic origin and were established in what would later be County Galway from an early period. Edward MacLysaght in his ‘Irish Family Names’ gives the name as ‘always associated with County Galway and adjacent areas.’ He gives Killilea as the Anglicised form of the Irish […]
Few churches can boast the beautiful rural setting enjoyed by St. Francis’ Church at Meelick on the western bank of the River Shannon. Similarly few may boast the same long and rich history of this church, which this year celebrates six hundred years in existence. Founded originally as a Franciscan friary, the last remaining Franciscan […]