Village of Hospital, Co Limerick
Created | Updated Jul 13, 2005
Where is it?
The village of hospital is situated about 17 Miles (27Km) South of Limerick City. It is situated in the heart of the Golden Vale region of Ireland and is surrounded by Farmland. It has a population of about 500 people with a total of 1500 in the Parish of hospital.
Weird Name
So how did the village get its name. In 1215 the Earl of Kenmare who had extensive lands in the region, Invited the Knight Hospitallers (Who subsequently went on to become the Order of Malta) to establish an Abbey by the river. This was the central region for many of the farms in the area and was a busy route between the larger towns in the region. As was the custom of the time the abbey also was a place where travellers could find rest, food, spiritual guidance and medical treatment. Hence the Name Hospital.
The ruins of the abbey can still be seen in the village and the Catholic church was constructed beside the old abbey.
Nearby is the small Village of Knockainey Situated at the base of a hill. The name of this village in Irish is Conc Aine (Direct Translation The Hill of Aine) At the summit of the hill is the fairy fort of the Fairie Queen Aine.
To give hospital it's full Irish name Ospideal Gleann Aine (Translation Hospital and the Glenn of Aine) so there is a connection between these.
Other Notables.
The Earl of Kenmare organised Schooling in the area. so this could be considered the first organised schooling in Ireland. The first Farmers Co-operative in Ireland was in Hospital. And our crowning Achievment. Jon Kenny from D'Unbelieveables is from Hospital.
A Walking tour
Starting at the hill at the top of the village lets take a walk through the village.
THe first thing you see as you walk down the hill is a large building on the Right in an attractive shade of Green. This is the old Vocational school and is over 30 Years old. On the other side of the road in the form of a small roundabout is the Fountin. As we continue our journey we pass the first of 9 pubs and 7 shops. As we continue the next large structure we see is the Community centre sitting on land donated to the community by the O' Neill family who still live in the village.
Continuing our journey there is nothing much more to see until you reach the end of the village and the Curch and old Abbey which I described.
Lastly you have the bridge and river crossing and as you leave the village there on a hill beside the road is the Water Tower, source of the village drinking water.
