Kilmeena Cill Mhíona | |
|---|---|
Civil parish | |
 St Brendans Catholic church in Kilmeena | |
  Kilmeena Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°50′37″N9°34′28″W / 53.8437°N 9.5745°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Mayo |
| Irish Grid Reference | L964892 |
Kilmeena (Irish : Cill Mhíona) [1] is a civil parish and small village near Westport in County Mayo, Ireland. The area is served by a Roman Catholic church, an An Post post office, [2] and a national (primary) school. [3]
The Kilmeena ambush was the scene of a defeat for the local Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence. [4] On 19 May 1921, British troops surprised an IRA ambush party at Kilmeena. Five IRA men were killed and four were wounded and captured. [5] The remainder of the column fled over the mountains to Skerdagh. One Royal Irish Constabulary man and one Black and Tans member were also killed in the action.[ citation needed ]
Kilmeena GAA Club was founded in 1889. According to the club's records, the club first fielded a Gaelic football team against Westport at Kilmeena on 10 March 1889. [6] The club was reputedly affiliated to the Mayo county board in the same year. The club's grounds at Saint Brendan's Park were first opened in 1938, and a new club house was formally opened in 2000. [6] In 2022, Kilmeena won the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship with a win over Gneeveguilla of County Kerry at Croke Park. [7]
In 1884, George Cooper and John Rogers Thomas wrote a song Sweet Flower of Kilmeena. [8]
