Kilfenora
village in County Clare, Ireland
Kilfenora (Irish: Cill Fhionnúrach [ˌciːl̠ʲ ˈɪn̪ˠuːɾˠəx], meaning 'church of the fertile hillside' or 'church of the white brow') is a village and a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland. It is situated south of the karst limestone region known as the Burren. Since medieval times when it was the episcopal see of the Bishop of Kilfenora, it has been known as the "City of the Crosses" for its seven (now five) high crosses. The village had around 150 inhabitants in 2022. Much of the TV show Father Ted (1995–98) was filmed there.
Name
Cill Fhionnúrach is generally translated as "church of the fertile hillside", "church of the white brow" or "church of the white meadow". The village and diocese of Kilfenora have also been referred to as Fenebore, Kilfenoragh, Finneborensis or Collumabrach.
Village
According to the Census of 2011, 463 people lived in the Kilfenora area, up from 409 in 2006. However, most of them do not live inside the village. In 2011, there were just 220 inhabitants in the village proper, up from 169 in 2006 and only around 100 in 1980.
The public source identifies “Kilfenora” as village in County Clare, Ireland. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Kilfenora, village and County.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Kilfenora”, the useful work is to connect “village in County Clare, Ireland” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 9, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1011989. VIAF identifies the subject as 156046142. The Library of Congress control number is n88155787. Authority coordinates are 52.994, -9.214. 3 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2022, 1995, 2011 and 2006.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Kilfenora”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Kilfenora primary sources, Kilfenora archive and Kilfenora research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Kilfenora”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Kilfenora” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.