Extract from History Queen's County O'Hanlon & O'Leary Pub.1914
In 1793 the two new parishes of CIonaslee and Rosenallis were 'formed. Mountmellick had previously been formed in 1770. Nearly all the districts embraced within these three parishes had from early times been included in one parochial territory known as Kilmanman.
In later times the extensive parish of Rosenallis had taken in the whole of the barony of Tinnahinch.
At present Clonaslee includes Kilmanman proper, and most of Rerymore.. .
In the Registry of Popish priests of .1704, Kedagh Dunne set
down as P.P. cc of Rossanolis, Rerymore., Castlebrack, and Killmanman,
then and ever since 1678." The ruins of the ancient parish church are
still to be seen at Kilmanman, about a mile and a half from the village of Clonaslee.
"The district chapel in the penal times was that called the old
Chapel of Brittas. It stood just inside the former demesne wall..of
Brittas, the seat of the O'Dunnes of Hy Regan,-the old mountain
road from Clonaslee passing outside. This chapel, which was of
considerable size, was thatched; as was, also., the old manor house of
Brittas, adjoining. At a distance of some three hundred yards south
of this chapel, on a rising ground, and also within the precincts of the
old demesne, a place is pointed out on which, it is said, a monastery
stood in the times of persecution.
"In 1771, a chapel was erected in the village of Clonaslee. It
is probable that the apostacy of Squire Francis Dunne, the then head
.of the family, which took place in that ,year., rendered the change of
the place of Catholic worship necessary. At the same time, there is reason
to think that the squire intended to conform only for a while, with a view to
keeping hold of his estate. All his children were
baptised Catholics. The old. chapel of CIonaslee, like its predecessor of
Brittas, was a humble, unpretentious, thatched edifice..
It stood close to the site occupied by the present Catholic church. It was
replaced by this fine, commodious church, in the year 18 I 3.