Kilfenora is a rural village located in the north west of county
Clare. The village is the gateway to the
Burren region and is a village rich in history and culture. The history of Kilfenora goes back thousands of years. It was the site of an important early monastic settlement. St. Fachtna founded an Abbey here in the sixth century. Kilfenora was among the most important dioceses in Ireland in Medieval times and due to a complicated series of events of ecclesiastical history, the Catholic bishop of Kilfenora is the Pope.
Kilfenora gained the title "City of the Crosses", a reference to the High Crosses within or near the precincts of the cathedral. It is believed that there were seven high crosses here. They are beautifully carved and date to the 9th – 10th century.
To generations of music lovers, the village is known as the birthplace and home of The Kilfenora Céilí Band. The Kilfenora Ceili Band celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009.Kilfenora N.S. is a co-educational mainstream school situated at the western end of the village of Kilfenora. The original school, built in 1841, was situated in the square on the site of the present Burren Centre. The present school was built in 1958, consisting of three classrooms. A prefabricated classroom was later erected on the school grounds. An extension consisting of an infant classroom, PE hall, staff room, storage rooms and kitchen was opened in 1985. Since September 2001,. the present school is an amalgamation of the two schools in the parish, St. Attracta’s N.S., Inchovea and St.Fachanan’s N.S., Kilfenora.
