Carrigaline is geographically located 12 Kms south of Cork City, at the mouth of the Owenabue River and at the Head of the Owenabue Estuary which forms part of Cork Harbour. The Locality lies within the Barony of Kerrycurrihy a name derived from the Ciarraige Cuircha, a clan who occupied the area prior to 1000AD. It was a very important Barony in early Norman Times. The landscape is dominated by the River and Estuary and gently rolling hills to the North and South of the Town.
For those who live in the locality Carrigaline is still referred to as the village. In so doing a lot is revealed about the nature of the people and the locality. It is still viewed as a small manageable friendly community where people are in first name terms with each other and have a strong sense of identity with the locality. This despite the fact that the population of town & hinterland has grown rapidly to approx. 16,000 in recent years. This rapid growth is not unique within the country however it is rare to find such development while still retaining the sense of identity and belonging to an area. At first glance there appear to be little reason for this unique position, certainly a vibrant community existed in the locality within what was a relatively small population up to the 1970s.

Few remnants remain of the pre Christian era. However, there is an important lios in Kilmoney, next to Liosbourne and Lios rua estates and this is now subject to a preservation order and is being developed as a leisure area. There are Souterrains near the Rock and evidence of pre-historic settlements along the shore edge. Also a lios near Owenabwee Heights and Carrigaline Middle.

The early Christian era influenced the development of the town and remains from that period include the settlements of Kilnagleary and Kilmoney Abbey. The name Kilnagleary is derived from the Irish Church of the Clerics and dates back to the time of St. Finbarr The monastery was located near the present Industrial Estate close to the Owenabwee and was very important. It would have been subject to Viking raids and also raids from the powerful Irish clans such as the O’Briens. One of the raids is mentioned in the Annals of Innisfallen. With the arrivals of the Normans and the building of Castle the abbey lost it’s importance and a church was built on the rock near the castle. The site of the abbey of Kilmoney was located near the residence of the Riordan family which is known as Kilmoney Abbey. The name may have derived from Cille Moine or the church of the bog or the church of Moine perhaps the name of it’s founder or local saint. The abbey was an offshoot of Gill Abbey in Cork. 

The present village of Carrigaline
The village of carrigaline took it’s present position in the 17th century, around the bridge at the head of the Owenabue Estuary. Over time the new village took over from the old town at The Rock..

RECENT HISTORY.

The population of Carrigaline in 1971 was 971 when the County Council identified the village as an area for development as a satellite town to Cork City with a green belt between the two centres of population.
Housing developments, consisting mainly of housing estates have occurred on the wings with the result that the main street has retained it’s village atmosphere although now very congested with traffic. A bye pas bridge was opened in the eighties as well as a community complex and a large community school. New Boys and Girls schools were also opened as well as a new Church of Ireland school and a Gaelscoil. The Hurling and football club expanded with new pitches and clubhouse. New Soccer pitches were opened were opened on the Ballea Road and a new Clubhouse was opened last year. The opening of Carrigaline Court Hotel opened up new opportunities for the business life of the town. The Heron on the Roundabout is a millennium sculpture present to the people of the town by the local Lions Club. On the down side a fine Pitch & Putt Course also opened in the eighties closed and a planned sporting complex including indoor facilities on the Crosshaven road appear to suffer from lack of funding. The town had a cinema in the seventies, the Oakwood, it is now the Library. Commercial development of the old Pottery site is at the planning stage, this includes a new Town Centre. A Children’s playground ahs just been opened on the old Pitch & Putt Course and plans for a people’s park wit two five a side facilities are advanced.
Population: of Carrigaline is 11,282 with over 16,000 in the vicinity. Carrigaline does not yet have a town council. Community Association performs many of the acts of the town council in it’s absence such as running Community Complex.Tidy Towns. Youth Club, Youth Club. Twinnng.