Menlough
Encyclopedia
See also Menlo
, another settlement in County Galway sometimes spelt "Menlough".
Menlough is a village in northeast County Galway
in Ireland
. Located 38 km from Galway
, 30 km from Tuam
, 29 km from Ballinasloe, and 20 km from Athenry
, it forms part of the civil parish of Killascobe.
". It is visible to travellers from Galway to Menlough as they pass through Skehana
(half parish of Menlough).
Other notable historical monuments include the 'old IRA' monument, erected in the 90s in the centre of the village. It can be seen opposite Jordans shop (formally McLoughlins) on the main street.
During the Irish War of Independence
, a local landlord and large landholder Joyce was shot dead in the parish of Menlough as he walked to Mass. No-one was ever apprehended for this crime and the incident forms part of parish folklore. The irony was that the landlord Joyce considered himself more Irish than anyone. He was a supporter of the cause and the whole Joyce clan had a history of helping the locals stretching back to before the famine
. The ruins of Joyce's house are still visible in the townland
of Corgary as are the fine walls built to protect his lands.
There is an expanding commuter population living here — as is evidenced by a constant stream of commuters passing through this parish in the mornings and evenings. There are four pubs in the parish. Two are located in Menlough village, one in the townland of Guilka and one in Skehana. There are also a couple of shops or small supermarkets.
. The National schools are in Menlough village, at Garbally (next to the Castle) and at Corgary. There were formerly four national schools, but Ballinruane closed in controversial circumstances in the early 2000s. This was one of the few times the parish made national headlines.
Menlo
Menlo may refer to:-Place names:Menlo, County Galway, a small village in the parish of Castlegar, on the outskirts of Galway, Ireland.In the United States:*Menlo, Georgia*Menlo, Iowa*Menlo, Kansas*Menlo, Washington...
, another settlement in County Galway sometimes spelt "Menlough".
Menlough is a village in northeast 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...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Located 38 km from Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, 30 km from Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
, 29 km from Ballinasloe, and 20 km from Athenry
Athenry
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies east of Galway city, and one of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle. The town is also well-known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".-History:...
, it forms part of the civil parish of Killascobe.
Historical background
Historically, Menlough was in the Barony of Hymany which was a stronghold of the O'Mannion clan. The ruins of an O'Mannion castle are located in the fields behind the "grotto" in the centre of the village. Another O'Mannion castle in the parish is better known as there are more extensive ruins. This second ruin is known as "Garbally castleGarbally castle
Garbally castle is located in the parish of Skehana, Co. Galway. It was built in the 15th or 16th century by Malachy O'Kelly. Initially the castle was destroyed by MacWilliam De Burgo in 1504, however Samuel Lewis notes that it was "partially destroyed by Cromwell" along with the nearby castle of...
". It is visible to travellers from Galway to Menlough as they pass through Skehana
Skehana
Skehana is a small village in County Galway, Ireland. The name Skehana derives from the Irish Sceith eánach meaning "place of the whitethorn"....
(half parish of Menlough).
Other notable historical monuments include the 'old IRA' monument, erected in the 90s in the centre of the village. It can be seen opposite Jordans shop (formally McLoughlins) on the main street.
During the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
, a local landlord and large landholder Joyce was shot dead in the parish of Menlough as he walked to Mass. No-one was ever apprehended for this crime and the incident forms part of parish folklore. The irony was that the landlord Joyce considered himself more Irish than anyone. He was a supporter of the cause and the whole Joyce clan had a history of helping the locals stretching back to before the famine
Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849)
In Ireland, the Great Famine was a period of mass starvation, disease and emigration between 1845 and 1852. It is also known, mostly outside Ireland, as the Irish Potato Famine...
. The ruins of Joyce's house are still visible in the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Corgary as are the fine walls built to protect his lands.
Recent developments
A parish with little visible change for many decades has been transformed in the last decade. A very large number of new houses built all over the parish are a testament to the growing popularity of this rural location.There is an expanding commuter population living here — as is evidenced by a constant stream of commuters passing through this parish in the mornings and evenings. There are four pubs in the parish. Two are located in Menlough village, one in the townland of Guilka and one in Skehana. There are also a couple of shops or small supermarkets.
Educational resources
The parish has three National schoolsEducation in the Republic of Ireland
The levels of education in Ireland are primary, secondary and higher education. In recent years further education has grown immensely. Growth in the economy since the 1960s has driven much of the change in the education system. Education in Ireland is free at all levels, including college , but...
. The National schools are in Menlough village, at Garbally (next to the Castle) and at Corgary. There were formerly four national schools, but Ballinruane closed in controversial circumstances in the early 2000s. This was one of the few times the parish made national headlines.
Sport
- As with most Galway rural villages, parish life tends to revolve around the exploits of its Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and hurlingHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
teams. Menlough GACMenlough GACMenlough is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Menlough, County Galway, Ireland. The club is a member of the Galway GAA. Menlough compete in the Galway Senior Club Football Championship....
has a long, vibrant and proud tradition of participation in the Galway football championship. The club has a number of County Championships to its name at various grades. The tradition is not continuous however. In the 1970s, the football club was denied the county championship, ostensibly for fielding an illegal player in their clear County Final victory. When the county board officials turned down an appeal against the fact that the player had been declared illegal, the decision was opposed in a forceful manner and, allegedly in consequence, the Menlough team was "thrown out" of the GAAGaelic Athletic AssociationThe Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
for a couple of years. Football and hurling have been and remain an important focus of life for both young and old. The Football pitch is the focus of many parish activities and is located outside the village on the approaches from Galway City. The facility complete with clubhouse, dressing rooms and stand was developed in the early 1990s. - This is the only incident to compete with "the Joyce incident" for notoriety in parish folklore. Those events led to the foundation of the successful but now nostalgically defunct "Doonwood Hammers" soccer team. The parish eventually drifted back to its Gaelic football roots after serving out its ban.
- Hurling is popular in the half parish of SkehanaSkehanaSkehana is a small village in County Galway, Ireland. The name Skehana derives from the Irish Sceith eánach meaning "place of the whitethorn"....
. The Skehana hurling team continue to go from strength to strength and the fearsome phrase 'Up Skehana' well known around Galway has its origins here.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland