Kilmihil

Kilmihil is a village in the Barony of Clonderlaw, west County Clare, Ireland. It is also a civil parish and an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht; an Irish-speaking community; until 1956.

It is believed that St. Michael’s Church was founded by St. Senan around 530AD. He dedicated this church to St. Michael. For centuries it became a place of pilgrimage to St. Michael, especially in September, as his feast day is on September 29. In 1937, the Curate of the parish, Fr. Patrick O’Reilly, organised the improvement of the well, and the surrounding area. The well is now enclosed, and over this building is the Statue of St. Michael, enclosed in glass.
Tradition credits the founding of a church here to St. Senan, in honour of Michael the Archangel. During the reign of Pope Gelasius I, , an apparition of the Archangel was reported to have taken place on the summit of Mt. Garganus, in Apulia, in Italy. This apparition report, and the founding of the church in Kilmihil, both took place during St. Senan’s lifetime . After visiting Rome about 530 AD, he returned to Ireland, wishing to foster devotion to Michael. While travelling from Scattery Island to Doolough, he stopped in Kilmihil, where he founded the church.

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