Clonbur
Encyclopedia
An Fhairche is a Gaeltacht
village in County Galway
, Ireland
.
The village of Clonbur sits between Lough Corrib
and Lough Mask
. Two kilometres to the west rises Mount Gable where, according to legend, the hordes of Firbolg gathered on the hilltop before their clash with the Tuatha Dé Danann
at the Battle of Moytura. In more recent times this isthmus
became known as the Gap of Danger where the "plainsmen" met the men of Joyce and Flaherty country.
Clonbur also contains the ruins of Petersburgh Estate, seat of the Lynch family, one of whose members John Lynch, was a signatory of the American Declaration of Independence.
Within 30 meters of the western doorway is a curiosity locally known as The Ogham Stone.
The site, in the Ross Hill estate, was once the property of the unpopular Earl of Leitrim
.
The estate later became the property of the Guinness family.
One of a series of five fortifications from Ballinrobe
to Ballindonage, it was originally owned by the O'Kynes. In 1571 it was seized for the Crown by Fitton, the then President of Connacht. For a period the de Burgos held it and later gave it to the MacDonnells (Scottish Mercenaries) as service booty or Bonnacht. Eventually it passed from Sir Richard O'Donnell to Sir Benjamin Guinness and so became part of the Guinness estate.
Architecturally, the castle has some puzzling features. The trabeated doorway with its inclined jambs pre-dates the rest of the structure by some 900 years. Certain sections of the stonework are not bonded together as a unit, a feature which suggests later additions to the original building.
. Lough Coolin is accessible via the village of Ballyveane. Beside the lake are the ruins of an old village. The lake was renowned for white trout until the early 1960s when pike were added to the lake by a local fisherman. Pike and perch
are now the only fish in the lake. A stream from the Lough Coolin flows into Lough Mask
. Coolin Lake provides fresh water for the village of Clonbur.
and Lough Mask
and guards one of the major routes into Connemara
from the east. The starting point for a walk is approximately 2 km from the village of Clonbur. It provides a backdrop for Lough Coolin. Spectacular vies of both Lough Mask
and Lough Corrib
can be had from the top of Mount Gable.
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
village in County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
The village of Clonbur sits between Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib is a lake in the west of Ireland. The River Corrib or Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the second largest lough in Ireland . It covers 178 km² and lies mostly in County Galway with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo.The first canal in...
and Lough Mask
Lough Mask
Lough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres in County Mayo, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the upper of the two lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. The lake is visited for its trout fishing...
. Two kilometres to the west rises Mount Gable where, according to legend, the hordes of Firbolg gathered on the hilltop before their clash with the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
at the Battle of Moytura. In more recent times this isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
became known as the Gap of Danger where the "plainsmen" met the men of Joyce and Flaherty country.
Clonbur also contains the ruins of Petersburgh Estate, seat of the Lynch family, one of whose members John Lynch, was a signatory of the American Declaration of Independence.
Ross Hill Abbey
In the cemetery stands the ruins of Teampall Brendain. The ruin is sited within an ancient oval enclosure known as a Caiseal or Cashel. The western end of the ruin is of early Christian origin and in the trabeated doorway can clearly be seen the inclined jambs so distinctive of that era. This edifice replaced a wooden and less durable structure which was the Navigator's original monastic settlement on the site.Within 30 meters of the western doorway is a curiosity locally known as The Ogham Stone.
The site, in the Ross Hill estate, was once the property of the unpopular Earl of Leitrim
Earl of Leitrim
Earl of Leitrim was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1795 for Robert Clements, 1st Viscount Leitrim. He had already been created Baron Leitrim, of Manor Hamilton in the County of Leitrim, in 1783, and Viscount Leitrim in 1793, also in the Peerage of Ireland. In 1800 he was...
.
The estate later became the property of the Guinness family.
Ballykine (Ballykyne) Castle
Ballinrobe
-Early history:Dating back to 1390, Ballinrobe is said to be the oldest town in South Mayo. The registry of the Dominican friary of Athenry mentions the monastery de Roba, an Augustinian friary whose recently restored ruins are one of the historical landmarks of the town today...
to Ballindonage, it was originally owned by the O'Kynes. In 1571 it was seized for the Crown by Fitton, the then President of Connacht. For a period the de Burgos held it and later gave it to the MacDonnells (Scottish Mercenaries) as service booty or Bonnacht. Eventually it passed from Sir Richard O'Donnell to Sir Benjamin Guinness and so became part of the Guinness estate.
Architecturally, the castle has some puzzling features. The trabeated doorway with its inclined jambs pre-dates the rest of the structure by some 900 years. Certain sections of the stonework are not bonded together as a unit, a feature which suggests later additions to the original building.
Lough Coolin
Located at the foot of Mount Gable, three miles west of Clonbur in County GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
. Lough Coolin is accessible via the village of Ballyveane. Beside the lake are the ruins of an old village. The lake was renowned for white trout until the early 1960s when pike were added to the lake by a local fisherman. Pike and perch
Perch
Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
are now the only fish in the lake. A stream from the Lough Coolin flows into Lough Mask
Lough Mask
Lough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres in County Mayo, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the upper of the two lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. The lake is visited for its trout fishing...
. Coolin Lake provides fresh water for the village of Clonbur.
Mount Gable
Mount Gable (1370 feet) is one of the most beautiful and scenic mountain walks in Ireland. It dominates the isthmus between Lough CorribLough Corrib
Lough Corrib is a lake in the west of Ireland. The River Corrib or Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the second largest lough in Ireland . It covers 178 km² and lies mostly in County Galway with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo.The first canal in...
and Lough Mask
Lough Mask
Lough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres in County Mayo, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the upper of the two lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. The lake is visited for its trout fishing...
and guards one of the major routes into Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
from the east. The starting point for a walk is approximately 2 km from the village of Clonbur. It provides a backdrop for Lough Coolin. Spectacular vies of both Lough Mask
Lough Mask
Lough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres in County Mayo, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the upper of the two lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. The lake is visited for its trout fishing...
and Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib is a lake in the west of Ireland. The River Corrib or Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the second largest lough in Ireland . It covers 178 km² and lies mostly in County Galway with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo.The first canal in...
can be had from the top of Mount Gable.
To Do
- Fishing on Lough MaskLough MaskLough Mask is a limestone lough of 22,000 acres in County Mayo, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the upper of the two lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. The lake is visited for its trout fishing...
, renowned for brown troutBrown troutThe brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
. Also perchPerchPerch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
and pikeEsoxEsox is a genus of freshwater fish, the only living genus in the family Esocidae — the esocids which were endemic to North America, Europe and Eurasia during the Paleogene through present.The type species is E. lucius, the northern pike...
. - Fishing on Lough Corrib, renowned for salmonSalmonSalmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and brown trout. Also perch and pike. - Golf at BallinrobeBallinrobe-Early history:Dating back to 1390, Ballinrobe is said to be the oldest town in South Mayo. The registry of the Dominican friary of Athenry mentions the monastery de Roba, an Augustinian friary whose recently restored ruins are one of the historical landmarks of the town today...
Golf Club, or Ashford CastleAshford CastleAshford Castle is a medieval castle turned five star luxury hotel near Cong on the Mayo/Galway Border in Ireland, on the shore of Lough Corrib. Ashford Castle is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World organization.-History:...
. - Hill walking on Mount Gable.
- Cycling.
- Forest Walks.
See also
- Connacht IrishConnacht IrishConnacht Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Connacht. Gaeltacht regions in Connacht are found in Counties Mayo and Galway...
- List of towns and villages in Ireland