Saint Patrick is alleged to have passed through Killawalla en route to Croagh Patrick, and the local Catholic church is named after him. The village has a primary school, a post office and a pub. Killawalla is part of the parish of Carnacon and Ballintubber. Research carried out by NUI Maynooth showed Killawalla to have sustained the biggest population loss of any village in Ireland during the Great Famine. Between 1841 and 1851 the village lost two thirds of its population.

Killawalla is also home to Pollatoomary cave, the deepest explored underwater cave in Britain and Ireland. The cave was explored to a depth of 103 m by Artur Kozłowski on 5–6 June 2008. The entrance to the cave is located in the townland of Bellaburke on private land and is formed by the resurgence of the Aille river who sinks underground at the Aille cave 3km to west.

The parish of Killawalla is also home to one of the early Telephone Pioneers of America, Thomas Larkin, who emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA at the end of the 19th century and came back to Killawalla in the 1930s where he died and was laid to rest in the cemetary. Further information on this story here.

More information at: http://killawallaonline.com/

Annual Events

• March: Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Walking festival, walking festival
• July: Domhnach na Cruaiche (Reek Sunday), pilgrimage to the top of Croagh Patrick, Ballintubber to Westport