KILDYSART, or KILLADYSERT, a post-town and parish, in the barony of CLONDERLAW, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 12 miles (S. S. W) from Ennis, and 122 miles (S. W.) from Dublin, at the confluence of the rivers Shannon and Fergus, and on the old mail road from Ennis to Kilrush ; containing 4501 inhabitants, and comprising 9485 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, which are chiefly in tillage.

Sea-weed and sand are in general use for manure, and the state of agriculture is gradually improving: there is a considerable portion of bog. Culm exists in some places and is partially worked ; and good building stone, which is also used for flagging, is procured. Off the western shore of the Fergus, and within the limits of the parish, are the islands of Canon, Corcory, Ennistubret, Innisherk, Low and Horse, all of which are inhabited by one or more families. Corcory contains 103 plantation acres of excellent land, mostly in pasture; Ennistubret, 80 acres of similar land ; Innisherk, 18 acres ; Low, 85 acres, and Horse, 85 acres ; the two last are chiefly in tillage.

The town, which contains about 60 houses, is irregularly built, but has latterly been much improved : a steam-boat passes daily either to or from Limerick. It has a market on Wednesday under a patent, and it is in contemplation of Bindon Scott, Esq., to build a market-house. Fairs are held on May 22nd, July 15th, Aug. 27th and Oct. 11th. Petty sessions are held every alternate Monday; and a court for the manor of Crovreahan is held by Lord Egremont’s seneschal, about once in 6 weeks, in which small debts are recoverable. Here is a chief station of the constabulary police, who have a substantial barrack. Application has been made to the Board of Public Works for aid in the erection of a pier at Carriginriree, and to improve the quay near Kildysart : from the latter, pigs, corn, butter, and other agricultural produce are sent to Limerick in boats ; and building materials, grocery, &c., are brought in return : vessels of 105 tons have been freighted at this quay.

The gentleman’s seats are Ballyartney, the residence of R. Barclay, Esq. ; Ross Hill, of Major Ross Lewin ; Shore Park, of D. O’Grady, Esq. ; Lanesborough, of T. R. Lewin, Esq. ; Crowhan, of J. O’Donnell, Esq. ; Ballylane Lodge, of W. Coppinger, Esq. ; and Tonlagee, of the Finucane family. Part of the beautifully situated demesne of Cahircon, the seat of Bindon Scott, Esq., also extends into this parish, from the more elevated parts of which extensive views are obtained of the rivers Fergus and Shannon, and of the numerous islands by which the former is studded at its confluence with the latter.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Killaloe, united to the vicarage of Kilchrist and the rectory of Kilfarboy, and constituting the union of Kildysart, in the patronage of the Earl of Egremont : the rectory is impropriate in Bindon Scott, Esq. The tithes amount to £415. 7s. 8¼d., of which £276. 18s. 5d., is payable to impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar. The church, a small plain building, was erected in 1812, for which the late Board of First Fruits gave £500 : it is at present in a dilapidated state, and is about to be repaired or rebuilt, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners having recently granted £122 for that purpose. The glebe-house is a substantial building, for the erection which the late Board of First Fruits gave £400 and lent £240 : the glebe comprises about 12 acres.

In the Roman Catholic divisions this parish gives name to a union or district, which also comprises the parish of Kilfedane and contains the chapels of Kildysart, Coulmeen (or Rockmount) and Crannybridge : the first is a handsome and spacious building of recent erection, and contains a well-executed alter-piece : the other chapels are in the parish of Kilfedane.

About 230 children are educated in two private schools ; and a public school has been lately erected in the town. The ruins of the old church still remain in the burial-ground near the shore, and there are many Danish forts and tumuli in the parish. A monastery is said to have been founded on Low Island by St. Senan of Inniscattery, before St. Patrick came into Munster ; and St. Moronoc is said to have had a cell here at the time of St. Senan’s death called, "the Penitentiary of Inisluaidhe."

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