The townland of Quin, as shown in this map, is different from the village of Quin. The townland of Quin covers the territory of the original ‘Old Quin’ village. The centre of the village shifted to Quin Gardens after the bridge was constructed c1800. In this post, we will focus on the wider village area. The village of Quin includes the following whole or partial townlands:
Quin, Quin Gardens, Quinville South, Quin Commons.
Quin (townland) covers all of the site of Quin Abbey, St Marys Chapel, Arbutus Grove (old Fairgreen), The Park/Cloisters.
Quin Gardens originally covered those areas immediately north and south of the Main Street including St Fineens and the village shop (properties numbered 5-9 in map). The rural part of Quin Gardens was originally Lecarrow (Leath Ceathrú?) until merged with Quin Gardens as following the first Ordnance Survey.
Quinville South includes the terrace of buildings on the north end of the village/Quin Cross where the Village Inn is located.
An area known colloquially as ‘Commons’ is often found on the edge of small urbanised areas that locals used to keep animals or carry out small scale agricultural activities while the ‘gardens’ is where they grew crops for themselves.
1659 Census of Quin
Population 68 (3 English, 65 Irish)
Tituladoes Names: John Sexten, James Nihill, Peirce Loftus, Daniell Kelloher, Thomas Creagh, Stephen White.
1831 – there were 2,918 inhabitants in the Parish of Quin, of whom 173 lived in the village.
1825 Occupiers of land in Quin Village (for purpose of Tithes Collection)
| Hastings | John | Quin Gardens | Quin Village | |
| Collings | Thomas | Quin Gardens | Quin Village | |
| McInerheny | Mat | Quin Gardens | Quin Village | |
| Hennessy | Michael | Quin Gardens | Quin Village | |
| Hallaran | Patt | Quin Gardens | Quin Village | |
| Moran | John | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Corry | James | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| McMahon | Michael | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Hallaran | Patt | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Moylan | Patt | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Moylan | William | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Gorman | Patt | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Rotchford | Michael | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Keefe | John | Commons of Quin | Quin Village | |
| Doolaghty | John | Church Lands | Quin Village | |
| Moylan | William | Church Lands | Quin Village |
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland 1845
Quin Town:
Pop., in 1831, 173; in 1841, 173. Houses 30.
Quin Parish:
Pop., in 1831, 2,918; in 1841, 3,634. Houses 569
1855 Griffiths Valuation-list of property owners in Quin
John Singleton Patrick Galvin
Patrick Punch Thomas Bunton (MD)
Patrick Halloran Denis Moloney
Anne Fitzgerald William Vance
John Moylan Daniel Corbett (Rev)
John Boyce
Note: The Primary Valuation of Tenements, also known as Griffith’s Valuation, was undertaken in order to establish the value of land and buildings in Ireland as a basis for levying a local system of fair taxation under the Irish Poor Law Act of 1838. It was carried out by Richard Griffith and published between 1848 and 1864, 1855 for Quin & Clooney.
Guy’s Postal Directory of Quin 1893
(Head office, Ardsollus R. S. O.) Money order office; Newmarket-on-Fergus 5m. nearest telegraph office
Postmistress-Susan O’Halloran
Conveyances-Quin Station Limerick and Ennis; five trains daily
Stationmaster-Robert Heffernan
Poor Law-Union of Tulla;
Dispensary and Registration district of Quin
Med officer and Regr-Dr Michael Moran Hannon
Relieving officer-Patrick Markham
Rate collector-Thomas Corbett
Petty Sessions Court-every fourth Wednesday. Quarter Sessions districts of Ennis and Ennistimon
Clerk Petty Sess-Charles Mahon
Civil bill officer-James Sexton
Constabulary district of Sixmilebridge. In charge of Quin station-Sergeant James Noble
Schools, National-Head teachers Quin-Michael Lynch; Miss B Crowe
Fairs-7 July, 1 Nov
Clergy
Rev Arthur H Benson, rector, Quin glebe
Rev Denis Hogan, C C, Quin
Rev Timothy Kelly, C C, Quin
Shopkeepers, etc.
Carmody, Catherine, grocer
Clune, Michael, vintner
Clune, M M; vintner
Donnellan, Daniel, grocer
Fitzgerald, Mary, vintner
Hassett, Denis, vintner
Hennessy, Michael, vintner
McInerney, Michael, vintner
McInerney, Thomas, vintner
Moylan, Michael, grocer
O’Dea, James, grocer
O’Halloran, Mrs, news agent
Reddan, Thomas, vintner
O’Donoghue, Simon, Farmer
Here lives a man who don’t refuse
To make or mend both boots and shoes
His leathers good, his work is quick
His profits small, so can’t give tick
The sign nailed above the door to Crowes, The Boot-maker, at the entrance to the current OPW coach park, or opposite The Monks Well.
Left: Mai Crowe at doorway of Tommy Crowes 1940’s
Quin Townland:
Census of Quin 1841: Population 63 (30 Male/33 Female), Households 11 (plus 2 uninhabited)
Census of Quin 1851: No record
Census of Quin 1861: No record
Census of Quin 1871: Population 33, Households 8
It appears that Quin Townland was no longer treated separately following the famine. As can be seen, the population declined by almost half in the thirty years following.
Quin town (inc. Feighquin, Quin, Quin Gardens, Quinville South):
Census of Quin town 1881: Population 184, Households 50
Census of Quin town 1891: Population 179, Households 49
Census of Quin town 1901: Population 176, Households 44
Census of Quin town 1901: Population 164, Households 39
Extract from 1901 & 1911 Census
| 1901 | 1911 | ||||
| No. of persons | 176 | (including visitors) | 164 | ||
| No. of buildings | 45 | 44 | |||
| Businesses | No. of Pubs | 7 | 7 | ||
| No. of shops | 6 | 6 | |||
| Occupations | Carpenters | 4 | 4 | ||
| Tailors/Dressmaker | 5 | 3 | |||
| Shoe/boot maker | 2 | 1 | |||
| medical | 1 | 0 | |||
| Postal workers | 3 | 5 | |||
| Teachers | 0 | 4 | all Clunes | ||
| Publicans | 9 | 7 | 2 also shop keepers | ||
| Farmers/farm labourers | 13 | 18 | |||
| Labourers | 5 | 7 | |||
| Police (inc retired) | 3 | 3 RIC families | 2 | ||
| House Keeper | 8 | usually wife of HoH | 0 | ||
| Domestic staff | 7 | 3 | |||
| Blacksmith | 0 | 1 | |||
| Grocer/Shop Keepers | 6 | 9 | |||
| Mason | 0 | 2 | |||
| Butcher | 0 | 1 | |||
| Land agent/Rent Collector | 1 | 2 | |||
| Rail workers | 1 | 2 | |||
| Priest/Clergy | 2 | 2 | |||
| Language | Dual speakers | 38 | 26 | ||
| Religion | C o Ire | 11 | all Moodys in 1901 | 17 | |
| RC | 166 | 148 | |||
| Outbuildings | No. of stables | N/A | 21 | ||
| No. of coach houses | N/A | 2 | |||
| No. of cow houses | N/A | 12 | |||
| No. of piggeries | N/A | 13 | |||
| No. of Forges | N/A | 1 | |||
| No. of Dairies | N/A | 1 |
1926 Census of Quin Village
| first_name | surname | relationship_to_head | marriage | birthplace_county | children_alive |
| Patrick J | McInerney | Head | Married | Clare | 2 |
| Nora | McInerney | Wife | Married | Clare | 2 |
| Mary | McInerney | Daughter | Single | Clare | |
| Michael | McInerney | Son | Both Parents Alive | Clare | |
| Bridget | McInerney | Servant | Single | Clare | |
| James | Hourigan | Head | Married | Clare | 12 |
| Martha | Hourigan | Wife | Married | Kerry | 12 y |
| John | Clune | Head | Married | Clare | |
| Susan | Clune | Wife | Married | ||
| Timothy | Clune | Father | Widower | Clare | |
| Ambrose | Power | Head | Married | 1 | |
| Kathleen | Power | Wife | Married | ||
| Michael | Power | Both Parents Alive | Clare | ||
| John Joseph | McCready | Head | Single | Tepp/52 | |
| Elizabeth | Maher | Servant | Single | Barrisham | |
| Catherine | Hennessy | Head | Single | Clare | |
| John | Mara | Head | Single | Tipperary | Garda? |
| Lawrence | Walsh | Single | Wickham | Garda? | |
| Daniel | Linehan | Single | Cork | Garda? | |
| Mortimer | Carrigg | Head | Married | Clare | 5 |
| Annie | Carrigg | Wife | Married | Clare | 5 |
| Norah | Carrigg | Daughter | Single | ||
| Elizabeth S | Carrigg | Daughter | Single | Clare | |
| Bridget | Corbett | Head | Widow | Clare | 0, |
| Patrick | Corbett | Son | Single | Clare | |
| Thomas | Corbett | Son | Single | Clare | |
| Maria | Reddan | Head | Single | Clare | |
| Mollie | Reddan | Patient | Single | Kerry | |
| Stephen | Clune | Head | Married | Clare | 3 |
| Mary | Clune | Wife | Married | Clare | 3 |
In this 1954 photo of the north end of Quin, taken from outside the Garda barracks, we can see the typical single storey thatch cottage then prevalent along that side of the street up to that time. The water tower did not appear on the horizon until c1965
Jan 11 United Irish League Quin 1908
A meeting of the above branch was held on last Sunday, Mr. Pat McDonell presiding, were also in attendance Messrs Pat Moylan V.P., John Lawlor Treasurer, Ml. Clune hon. secretary; Dan Corbett, Tom Lynch, James Meany, Dan Clune, MI Doulaghty, Denis Hallinan, John Cusack, Pat Curry, John Meany etc. The secretary read a circular from the East Clare Executive announcing a meeting at Bodyke on 6th and members were requested to attend. The following resolution was proposed and passed unanimously: Resolved
“That we the members of the Quin Branch of the United Irish League call upon all persons holding land in the parish from landlords under the eleven month system, to surrender same when their term expires and not renew their contracts. Mr. Cullinan came before the meeting about a farm he held in Dangan. The committee decided not to interfere, as they knew nothing about it. Next meeting Thur 19th.
Note: The United Irish League had merged with the Irish Parliamentary Party, headed by John Redmond, in 1900. It would later become effectively the the constituency mechanism of the IPP before being over-taken by Sinn Féin after 1916.
1917 Contributors to the Redmond Fund
| Carrigg | Mortimor | ||
| Clune | Matt | ||
| Clune | Dan | ||
| Clune | Pat | ||
| Clune | Frank | ||
| Clune | Peter | ||
| Clune | James | ||
| Corbett | Patrick | Snr. | |
| Corbett | Patrick | Jnr. | |
| Crowe | Thomas | ||
| Curry | Patrick | ||
| Droney | Patrick | ||
| Droney | Mary | ||
| Halpin | John | ||
| Hennessy | Miss | |
| Markham | Katie | |
| McFadden | Mrs. | |
| Neville | Michael | |
| O’Halloran | Mrs. | |
| O’Loghlen | Thomas | |
| O’Loghlen | Jno | |
| O’Loghlen | Miss | |
| Power | Ambrose | |
| Reddan | Miss | |
| Reddan | Jnr. |
| Sammon | William |
| Hassett | Denis |
Sisters Ann and Ellen with their mother Margaret McInerney, nee McCarthy, outside their pub c1918. Margaret was married to Thomas and they reared six daughters in this house. This was located to the left of the current Marlborough home, which was also a pub, known as The Bridge House, owned by the Lynch family. These two related families lived side by side. A descendent of Ann ‘Patsy’ Lynch, later authored a book which covers much of their life here, called ‘Mapping the Past’, by Charles Drazin.
Photo Courtesy of ‘The Vintage Lens’
1943 I.T.A. Topographical and General Survey
Location and Brief Description:
The village is situated on Quin, (or Rhine) River, 6 miles from Ennis, 17 from Limerick. It is neat and well kept; principally noted for its famous abbey, old castles.
Parks, Gardens and Recreation Grounds. Brief Description: Hurling field one mile from village. Show grounds, convenient to village. Both used periodically, hurling field in good condition.
Public Services Nearest station: Ardsollus Distance: 1 mile Bus? None
Private lighting by—Electricity? Hall, church, and a few houses. Gas? None
Dancing Dance Hall: Yes. Parochial Hall accommodates 300 personsProprietor: The Parochial Hall Committee
Churches and Services
| Church Services | (Sundays) |
| Quin R.C. | 9.00 and 11.00 a.m. N. Time |
| Clooney R.C | 10.30 a.m. N. Time |
| Maghara R.C. | 11.00 a.m. N. Time |
| Church of Ireland | Once monthly – 1st Sunday |
Postal Facilities Location of Post Office: In villageBusiness (? M.O., Telegraph, Telephone): All three
Social Clubs, Cultural Societies, &c. Social Clubs: None.
Hospitals Nearest: Ennis 6 miles
Fairs and Markets; Half-Holiday Monthly Fairs and Markets: Quin 27th July, 1st Nov. Three other new fairs, Jan, Feb, March. The famous Spancil Hill fairs – 5 miles distant. Also in Quin parish, horses 23rd, cattle 24th June.Weekly Market Day: NoneHalf-Holiday: Monday
Garages and Petrol Stations Petrol Pump: Mr. McInerney in village
Conveyances for Hire (Owners):Boats (State type): There are row boats – private owned – on a few of the nearby lakes, which could may be hired or loaned. Tourists should be advised not to rely on getting those boats, as they are rarely available – or in good condition.
AccommodationHotels No hotels in Quin. Tourists visiting Quin should not plan on staying overnight. The only two boarding houses available should be engaged in advance.
Guest or Boarding Houses Mr. A. Power, Quin, 2 Guest Bedrooms, No Baths, Dry Lavatory, 1 Public Room, Licensed. This is a fairly suitable boarding-house for two persons only.Mr. J. Mulqueen, Dangan, 2 Guest Bedrooms, No Baths, Dry Lavatory, 1 Public Room, Not Licensed. This is a clean and comfortable private lodging house in the country. Two persons could be accommodated.
Restaurants and Cafés Mr. Power will provide teas, and tea and ham for any number of tourists up to 100, if given a weeks notice.
| Date: June 17th, 1943 | (Signed): Ralph Lucas Surveyor. |
According to a 2002 Census, Quin had a population of 853. By 2006, the population had grown to around 1,048. In the 2022 census, the village population was 922.