Community
The Parish of Tulla
Tulla is located in east Clare in an area known as the Clare Lakelands. This landscape is part of the western edge of the Irish Central Lowlands characterised by a topography moulded by glaciations into a tightly packed mass of rounded hillocks, interspersed with a multitude of diminutive lakes and bogs. The town is located in an extensive low drumlin area extending east from Clooney towards Feakle, and the southern boundary transforms gradually into the Kilkishen loughlands. The name of the village in Irish is Tulach na nAspal, the hill of the apostles, or Tulach na nEaspag, the hill of the bishops.
A ruined church survives on top of the hill or tullach from which the place takes its name, however, these eighteenth-century remains mark the site of an earlier foundation by St. Mochulla and the location of a monastic community.
Festivals
Tulla and its surrounding villages in East Clare host a variety of local festivals that celebrate the region’s rich cultural, musical, and agricultural heritage. One of the most well-known is the Tulla Traditional Music Festival, which pays tribute to the town’s strong ties to traditional Irish music. Held annually in the autumn, the festival features live performances, workshops, and sessions in local pubs and community spaces. The event often highlights the legacy of the famous Tulla Céilí Band, drawing musicians and enthusiasts from across Ireland and beyond to experience the unique East Clare style of traditional music.
In nearby villages such as Feakle and Scariff, additional festivals bring the community together in celebration of local arts and the environment. The Feakle International Traditional Music Festival is another major event in August, offering concerts, dancing, and masterclasses with acclaimed musicians. Meanwhile, the Scariff Harbour Festival, typically held in August as well, is a lively weekend of music, food, crafts, and family fun along the shores of Lough Derg. These festivals not only preserve the cultural fabric of East Clare but also foster tourism and community spirit across generations.
Playgrounds
Tulla offers several family-friendly spaces for recreation and outdoor activities. The Tulla Playground, located in the town on Lower Main Street, Ashler, is a popular spot for children aged 3 to 12. In the surrounding areas, East Clare boasts numerous playgrounds and parks. Villages such as Feakle, Kilkishen, Killaloe, Mountshannon, and Scariff feature well-maintained play areas, ensuring that families have access to recreational facilities throughout the region.
Churches and Schools
The parish of Tulla in County Clare is home to a strong religious tradition, with its main church, SS Peter and Paul’s, built in the 1830s. Two other churches – St. James’s in Knockjames and the Immaculate Conception in Drumcharley – were also established in the 19th century to serve surrounding areas. These churches reflect the area’s enduring Catholic identity and community spirit, particularly Drumcharley, which was rebuilt after storm damage in 1839.
Education has long been a focus in Tulla, beginning with St. Mochulla’s National School, the local primary school named after the parish’s patron saint. Secondary education is provided by St. Joseph’s Secondary School, founded in 1950 and relocated in 1985 to a modern facility. Both schools highlight the parish’s commitment to academic and spiritual development.
Sporting History
Tulla GAA Foundation: The club was founded in 1885. It is considered the oldest club in County Clare. The club’s grounds are named Páirc an Dálaigh, after Dr. Tommy Daly, who was born in 1894 and resided at the square in Tulla. He died tragically on Monday the 21st of September 1936. He played in eight All-Ireland finals, winning five (four senior and one junior). He won his first All-Ireland medal in goal for Clare in 1914 in the Junior final.
Tulla Camogie: The first County Camogie Board was formally set up in February 1934, with delegates from Clooney, Ennis, Kilshanny, Doolin, Newmarket, Meelick, Ballynacally & Tulla attending. The board immediately organized a league, and the first league match took place in Ennis on St. Patrick’s Day, 1934.
Why is Camogie not called Hurley? The name of the sport, Camogie, was derived from the stick used in the game. From its inception, men played hurling using a curved stick called a camán in Irish. Women in the early camogie games used a shorter stick described by the diminutive form camóg.
Tulla United Football Club: Founded in 1970 with a proud history of serving the village of Tulla and nearby villages and parishes of Bodyke, Broadford, Clooney, Crusheen, Feakle, Kilkishen, Killenena, O’Callaghan Mills and Quin.
Tulla Athletic Club: The formation of the club came from the splitting of St. Michael’s Athletic Club into two separate units, Ruan Athletic Club and Tulla Athletic Club at a meeting held at Michael O’Keeffe’s, Miltown, Tulla on Friday 11 November 1952.
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