Nicholas Wall
Fennor is separated from the rest of Slane Parish by the River Boyne. An abbey was founded here at an early period, called Finnabhair-abha, “the bright field of the river”( From the Irish version of Nennius p.214). The patron saint was St.Neachtain, a disciple of St. Patrick. His festival was marked in our Irish calendars at the 2nd of May.
In the Four Masters and our other Irish Monasticons we get the following:
804 Maelforthartaigh, Abbot of Fennor & Kilmoon, died.
827 Maelumha, Prior of Fennor, died.
833 The plundering of Fennor, Slane & Glendaloch by the Danes.
837 Tigernach, Abbot of Fennor and other churches, died.
843 Fiachna, Abbot of Fennor, died.
847 The cross which was on the green of Slane was raised up into the air; it was broken and divided, so that part of it’s top fell at Teltown and Fennor.
882 Eochu, Abbot of Fennor and Kilmoon, died.
902 Ferghil (Virgilius), Bishop of Fennor and Abbot of Indeidhnen, died.
1024 Fachtna, Professor and Priest of Clonmacnoise, airchinneach of Fennor and Indeidhnen, and the most distinguished Abbot of the Gaedhil, died at Rome, where he had gone on a pilgrimage.
After the Anglo- Norman invasion we find Fennor a parish church. In the reign of Edward the Third, Rev. Stephen Palmer was pastor of Fennor (Pat. 32.) In the same reign Revs. Thomas Malecken and Henry de Rathfaygl were successively pastors of Fennor. In the reign of Richard the Second we find Rev. Robert Wakeman pastor to this parish (Rol.Pat.8.Ric.11). The old church of Fennor is situated on a height, on the southern bank of the Boyne, convenient to the bridge of Slane. The church measures fifty five feet by nineteen, and had a chancel arch twenty two feet from the east end. The patron saint since the Anglo-Norman invasion has been St. Michael, and a station was held on his festival at the residence of a gentleman in the parish. ( Mass was celebrated on Christmas morning up to approx. 1850 at Fennor House, the residence of James Cruise Esq. James Cruise died on the 19th April 1862 and was interred in the family tomb in the churchyard in Duleek ).
Since the beginning of the 1700’s Fennor has formed part of the union of Slane. Before that it was part of Duleek parish. Inneidhnen was situated in the territory of Bregia, in the neighbourhood of Slane. ( Extracted from The Diocese of Meath by Rev. A. Cogan).
NAMES IN FENNOR PARISH
Griffiths Valuation 1855
| Brady | John | Fennor |
| Brien | Christopher | Johnstown |
| Carleton | Margaret | Fennor |
| Clarke | William | Fennor |
| Clinton | John | Fennor |
| Cluskey | Patrick | Fennor |
| Cogan | Thomas | Johnstown |
| Conyngham | Marquis ??? | Fennor |
| Cregan | Patrick | Fennor |
| Cruice | James | Fennor |
| Curran | Mary | Fennor |
| Deane | William | Fennor |
| Donovan | Michael | Johnstown |
| Elliott | Francis | Fennor |
| Fleming | Matthew | Fennor |
| Flood | Thomas | Johnstown |
| Flood | Thos. | Fennor |
| Hickey | Thomas | Johnstown |
| Hogan | Mr. E. | Johnstown |
| Hogan | Mr. Edwd | Fennor |
| Kelsh | James | Fennor |
| Maguire | Laurence | Fennor |
| McDacker | Catherine | Johnstown |
| Murtagh | John | Johnstown |
| Neill | Henry | Fennor |
| Ryder | Thomas | Fennor |
| Smith | Matthew | Fennor |
| Wilson | Daniel | Johnstown |
| Woodlock | James |
Slane and District History Society 