History of Ennis, Co. Clare

Place name

Ennis, the town takes its name from the Gaelic word "Inis", which means island which was formed between two streams of the River Fergus and on which the foundations of the Ennis Abbey were laid.

History

The town of Ennis owes its origin to the O'Briens of Thomond who moved from Limerick and settled in Clonroad, Ennis where they built their castle (at the north-east of the modern town) between 1208 and 1216. An O'Brien invited the Franciscans to establish a settlement within his domain in C. 1240. The O'Briens ruled until the 16th century when they moved to Bunratty Castle.

Ennis became a thriving market town in the late 18th century and this expansion continued unabated throughout the 19th century (except the period after the Famine in C. 1850). Ennis today continues to expan and develop and is one of the few towns in Ireland to retain balance between the past and the present. It is estimated that the population in Ennis is nearly 18,000 at the moment.