Prosperous (Irish: An Chorrchoill, meaning 'the smooth forest') is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland.

The village extends into the surrounding townlands of Ballinafagh, Killybegs, Curryhills and Downings (north, south, east and west, respectively).

The town of Prosperous owes its origin to the vision and ideals of Sir Robert Brooke (1744-1811) from County Cavan.

As the Bog of Allen was located nearby this provided plenty of fuel to the area and is also suggestive of why the town of Prosperous was chosen for this industrial settlement.

A close parallel to the development of Prosperous was Stratford-on-Slaney in County Wicklow, founded by Henry Stratford, Earl of Aldeborough in 1785 as a textile centre.

This has been described by Lewis in 1837 as ‘little more than a pile of ruins' situated 'in a low marshy spot, surrounded by bogs and without water of importance nor reasonable hope of its revival' and more recently as a ‘straggling village labouring under its resounding name'.

[5] A number of ráths have survived in the Prosperous area, indicating settlement of the place in early Christian times.

Time has not been kind to these ancient fortifications although in the case of one, it has been preserved as the centrepiece of a housing development: Rath View.

It is possible that the townland of Downings takes its name from the word dún, the Irish for 'fort', although questionable - given the higher proliferation of raths in many other parts of Ireland.

Tradition states that the church occupies the site of the cell of St Farnan whose feast is celebrated on 15 February.

Harris fought with the Maynooth contingent in 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin and was imprisoned in Frongoch, Wales until August 1916.

Harris was later Captain of the Prosperous Company in 1917 and later Vice-Commandant North Kildare Battalion of the Irish Republican Army in 1921.

[7] Prosperous Dramatic Society Theatrical productions are held in the drama theatre, located in the parish centre.

In summer months, a group of students from the Basque area of Spain come to Prosperous and stay at local homes.

Secondary education for Prosperous and surrounding areas is provided by Saint Farnan's Post-Primary School, which opened in 1941.