The name "Kells" developed from the ancient . Still today Ceanannas is used by Irish speakers. After the Norman Invasion "Ceanannas" was corrupted into "Kenelis", and later into "Kells". From the 12th century onward, the settlement was referred to in English and Anglo-Norman as Kenelis, Kenles, Kenlis, Kenlys, Kenllis, Cellys, Kyllis, and it has been Kells since the 1655. says that there is no mention of Kells in Ossory in Gaelic records, but agrees with John O'Donovan who suggests the name signifies "the head seat or residence". And that this is of similar origin to Kells in County Meath.
History
Kells is located in the historic Gaelic kingdom of Ossory. According to O'Heerin's Topographical Poem in the 1170s at the time of the Norman invasion the area was the territory of the clan called the Ua Glóiairn of Callann. The "cantred of O'Glóiairn" was located on both sides of the river Callann, now the King's River and included the present day barony of Callan. The territory of Callan was part of the early "cantred of Kells". In 1358 the "Barony of Kenlys" was very small and located in the eastern portion of the present barony. In the western part of the modern barony was the "cantred of Erley". The barony of Erley and the barony of Kells have been merged for many centuries. The barony of Erley must also have included the parish of Earlstown or Erley that is now in the barony of Shillelogher, and the townland of Frankford also belonged to Erley. . On the 14 January 1387 William, son of Richard Tobin granted to James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond, one messuage, with two carucates, and 20 acres of arable land in Moyclere in the Barony of Erley. Baron of Kells, Geoffrey FitzRobert de Monte Marisco, who was Richard de Clare's Constable of Leinster, built a castle by the banks of the Kings River and founded a town in c.1192. He married the illegitimate half-sister of Isabel de Clare, Basile de Clare, who was the widow of Raymond FitzGerald and grand-daughter to Gilbert de Clare. In the late 12th century, Huolyn served as Lords of Kilree. By the end of the 14th century the Sweetmans had succeeded the D'Erleys in their property of Earlstown and title Baron of Erley, they were based at Castleeve Castle. Kells was recorded in the Down Survey, the 1840 Ordnance Survey map, and on Griffith's Valuation.
Geography
Contains the King's River or River Glory, which had a ford at Aughatarry and a bridge called Kyleadohir Bridge. The King’s River originates in the Slieveardagh Hills, it flows 25 kilometres northwest to Kells village and it then flows 6 kilometres east where it feeds into the River Nore. The surrounding landscape is undulating, with a mix of tillage and grazing lands. The Walsh Mountains are in the barony and they stretch into the barony of barony of Knocktopher. Kells barony contains the towns of Kells and Kilmaganny, and the settlements of Baurscoob, Windgap, Dunnamaggan. The village of Kells is situated on the south side of the King’s River on its floodplain. Kells contais the civil parishes of Ballytobin, Coolaghmore, Dunnamaggan, Kells, Dunnamaggan, Kilmaganny, Kilree, Mallardstown, Stonecarthy, and Tullahought. Kells contains parts of the Roman Catholic parishes of Callan, Dunnamaggan, and Windgap. Parts of the barony were in the Poor law unions of Callan, Carrick on Suir, and Thomastown.
