The Irish standard., 1916-01-22
SOMETPPERARY HISTORY. THE TOWN OF QONMAL

VVIvlL Ill kluIu IIlUlUHI
The name clonmel is, according to
an old tradition, derived from the
Tuatha de Danaans who, wishing to
select a site for settlement, liber.
ated swarm Of bees and where these
settled they built their fort. From
this circumstance the place was des.
lgnated Cluain Meala, "the vale or
meadow of honey" The Rev. w. P.
Burke, who has written an authorita-
tive history of Clonmel, says the
name is derived from the old local
pronunciation, and the form used in
the ancient deeds. He is of the opin.
ion that the old Kettle form is Cliu
Mel, i. e., Mell's portion. Nell, he
explains, is a name that occurs in the
Desii genealogy, Nell being the daugh-
ter Of Erchbran and wife of Crimthan,
king of vi CiHnselagh. In the annals
of the -Four Masters we find Trian
Chluana Meala frequently mentioned
in connection with the Buffers as lords
of Clonmel third, the barony of Iffa
and Offa, in the Co. Tipperary. The
establishment of Clonmel has also
been ascribed to Danes, who are said
to have adventured up the SUR on
trading and warlike expeditions. Docu
mentary evidence shows that Clonmel
was an Anglo-Norman town, and from
the Pipe and usticiary Rolls it would
appear very important center of the
Anglo-Norman colonization of Tippe
rary. Sir John Davis in his "Discov
cry of the true causes why IRELAND
was never entirely subdued," published
in 1912, makes it appear that the tow1
owed its creation to Ohio de Grandi
son, but Father Burke has disposed
of this theory by pointing out tina
the de Grandisons did not settle il
Clonmel for full century after thu
arrival of the Normans. From thu
published calendar of Close Rolls W.
learn that the district between Clon
mel and Carrick was granted to Viii
liam Fitz-Aldelm. In 1925 Richard d.
Burgh was granted a yearly fair a
Clonmel, on the vigil of All Saints
and the seven days following. Ii
1867 Ohio de Grandson was granted
by charter, the laws of Muskerry, an,
the Will Of Clonmel. In 1898 the bail
IFS and goodmen of Clonmel obtained
a grant of customs on all the articles
brought for sale there for ten years
In 1900 the town of Clonmel gave /;
subsidy of twelve marks for the pur
pose of carrying on the war in Scot
land. About the same period tn,
communities of the towns of Yoghil
Fythard, and Clonmele," appeare,
against Edmund Bironn, late keepe
of measures and weights in this land
accusing him of falsely changing tn
legal measures, and amercing ther
when not culpable or convicted. L
1888, Maurice Fitz-Thomas purchase
the town Of Clonmel for LOO marks
In 1871 the provost and commonalt
of Clonmel were granted license t
: elect annually a sovereign from thci
co.burgesses, to exercise all thing
which, for the safe and secure go,
. eminent of the town, and the quie
~ and tranquility of the Kings faithfu
subjects there, should be necessary
In 1916, the Archbishop of Cashe
Ralph Kelly, together with the bishop
= of Emily, Limerick, and Lismore, so
EMMY communicated, at Clonme
), all those who, contrary to the libertie
. Of the church, paid subsidy to tn
Crown. An Anglo-Irish Parliament al
- sembled in the Church of Our Lad
Clonmel, in 1881, and among thos
present were the Abbots of Mellifor
and Dunbrody Abbeys, the priors {
Athassel and Kells. the Bishop of o.
sorry, and many other ecclesiastic;
\ dignitaries. In these early days tn
houses in the town were built of fran
= work and shingle, open sewers draine
the streets, which were often impa
j, sable. Fever and pestilence were fr
- quent visitors, and it is said that eve
- the dread plague of leprosy, was nj
unknown to the inhabitants of tn
town.
In 1889 the Lord Chancellor, job
; Allen, arrived at Clonmel to receiv
! the surrender of the religious house
~ in Tipperary, and within fourtee
- days the Cistercian Abbey of 1nislol
4 naght, the Augustinian priory of G.
hir, the Carmelite house of Lady Al
hey, and the Brigidine Convent {
Mollough, were in the possession {
- the Kings Commissioner. During tn
!. reign Of Elizabeth, Clonmel, in cor
mon with other towns in Ireland, fe
the full fury of the infamous religion
u prosecutions, and the historian {
- Clonmel gives many interesting fact
u regarding the treatment of priests an
y prelates in Tipperary during that p
= Rod. In 1908, Clonmel was granted
10 new charter, which set forth that tn
70 said town is near and contiguous I
Z" the most famous river called tn
% Shure, having annexed to it have
: or harbor, convenient At and nece
% sary for the transportation of boat
n high and lOnp hridre a,atainod on