Toomevara is a rural parish stretching from the slopes of the Devils Bit mountain to within 3 miles of Nenagh. The ancient Toomevara got its name, Thome, from St Thome Donain when the Augustimian monks from Monahuicha, Roscrea and established a foundation in the village in the 7th century. Later in the 14th century the O'Meara tribe came from Waterford to Toomevara after receiving large tracts of land from the Earl of Ormond. These gave Toomevara its present name- Tuaim Ui Mheara – a tomb or burial vault of the O'Mearas. Blean Castle and Ballymackey Castle (both near Toomevara) were each inhabited by two sons of the infamous Archbishop Miler Mac Grath of Cashel who had married Annie O'Meara with a view to obtaining some of the O'Mearas vast wealth in the parish.

Knockane, Cappa and Castlewillington were all O'Kennedy castles but were taken away from them mostly during the Cromwellian plantation. Not far from Toomevara village is the ruins of a Franciscan monastery at Arnameadle. The Mac Egan family had a school there which was similar to a modern university.

Lady Margaret is buried in the adjoining graveyard. Straight west of Toomevara is Grenanstown House where Richard Dalton Williams, poet and young Irelander was born. Toomevara is now known more for its hurling team 'Toomevara Greyhounds', than its historical figures and we are proud that the Captain of the Tipperary team hails from here.

Clan Name

Toomevara is part of the ancestral home of the O'Ryans and forms a stage of the Beara-Breifne Greenway which is based on the historic march of O'Sullivan Beara in 1603.

Greenways Festival 2003

Toomevara is talking part in the Greenways Festival in summer 2003 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the legendary 1603 march of O’Sullivan Beara from the Beara Peninsula to the Breifne area. Click here for info on the events