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Carrigallen Vocational School |
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Carrigallen The Irish word for Carrigallen is Carraig Alainn, which means beautiful rock. The present day Church of Ireland is located on this rock which overlooks the town. This is supposed to be the rock from which the town takes its name. |
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Carrigallen is a small town situated between rounded hills called drumlins and lakes. Drumlins are rounded, oval hills of around 60 metres high consisting of boulder clay, which was deposited by ice sheets at the end of the last ice age. The area is a mixture of limestone. Many families in the area are engaged in farming whether it is full time or part time. The majority of the farms are dairy farms. The milk is sold to the nearby Lakeland creamery in Killeshandra. Other farmers are involved in suckling producing quality beef animals. Some farmers are involved in sheep farming. Farmers sell their cattle at the local Carrigallen Mart with cattle sales twice weekly and a sheep sales once a week. There is a large piggery owned by Kiernans at Kivey Cross and the O'Rourkes own a mushroom farm at Tully, Carrigallen. Many of the local people are employed in local businesses like Jetwash Ltd., McManus and Gormley Ltd., O'Reilly Wood Products Ltd., Hartes Hotel, McCanns CENTRA, Modern Designs etc. Its History The earliest settlers in Carrigallen date back to the Stone Age. There is evidence at Clooncorrick where there is a portal dolmen, which is a megalithic tomb. A portal dolmen consists of a single burial chamber. It got its name from two large upright stones at the entrance called portal stones and the capstone, which is called a dolmen. The dolmen was placed flat across the two portal stones and four smaller stones at the back. It was then covered with a cairn (pile of stones). The Stone Age People built these megalithic tombs as burial places for their dead. It is known locally as the King's Grave and is located on the hill called The Hill of the Two Kings |
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Clooncorrick Portal Dolmen a megalithic tomb dating back to the Stone Age. |
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There are 18 ringforts in the parish dating back to the Iron Age. These are to be found in places such as Kilahirt, Drumeela, Kilbracken, Beaghmore, Errew to name but a few. These were the homesteads of the Celts. They consisted of a circular bank of earth which had a wooden fence called a palisade placed on top of it. Inside these banks were circular houses built of wattle and daub with thatched roofs. Two crannogs are to be found in Kilnemore Lake and one at Gulladoo Lake. These were artificial islands built on lakes where the Iron Age farmers built houses for protection. It is believed that St. Patrick visited Newtowngore and then made his way to Carrigallen. His converts congregated at a well in the townland of Aughawillan for baptism. The well is known as Tobar Patrick. There is another holy well dedicated to St. Patrick in Beaghmore. St. Patrick blessed an ancient graveyard in Errew, which is still in use. In the 7th and 8th centuries the area was conquered and settled by the Ui Bruin who were a branch of the royal family of Connaught. In the 9th century, the O'Rourke chieftains ruled North Leitrim (including Carrigallen). They had a castle at Clooncorrick, Carrigallen but the most important one was located on Cherry Island in Garadice Lake. They ruled in the area up to the Plantation of Leitrim. In 1621. Grants of land were given during the Plantation of Leitrim within the parish and barony of Carrigallen. During this Plantation, Charles 1 of England granted an estate of 4419 statue acres to Sir James Craig in 1640. In 1666 the Gores of Woodford were the largest landowners in the parish of Carrigallen with 4617 acres in Leitrim. Between 1649 and 1660 Cromwell soldiers destroyed a Catholic Church in the grounds of present Church of Ireland. The following is a list of buildings built in Carrigallen. 1813 Killegar House Home of Lord Kilbracken 1814 The Church of Ireland 1836 Carrigallen Presbyterian Church 1846 St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church 1879 Monster Meeting was held in Carrigallen 1916 National School 1940 Garda Barracks 1957 Carrigallen Vocational School 3 roomed school St. Patrick’s Hall 1980 Jetwash Ltd. 1984 GAA Park was officially opened 1987-1989 Corn Mill Theatre. Two important finds from Carrigallen The Ballyvalley Axe is a 4000-year-old Bronze Age axe that was found in the townland of Augharan which is in the parish of Aughavas. It was found in September of 1995. It is on display in the National Museum of Ireland. The Carrigallen Shoe was found in Carrigallen Bog, now owned by Anne and Francie Murray. It is now on display in the exhibition entitled Viking Age in the National Museum. The decoration on the shoe enabled it to be dated to the early Christian period, perhaps the 9th or 10th century. Buildings in Carrigallen The Corn Mill Theatre was started in 1987 by a Fas Training Scheme and completed in 1989. The theatre got its name from a corn mill which was in working condition up to forty years ago, and was located about 100 yards from the present site of the theatre. There is a mill wheel at the front of the theatre. It came from a mill at Aughawilliam and was donated by Francis Smyth who is the grandfather of two of our students Kevin Smyth 2nd year and Anita Smyth 1st year. The theatre consists of a 160 seater raked auditorium. At the present time, it is being extended. The Cornmill Theatre Company put on a play each year in the theatre. This year's production was A Handful of Stars by Bill Roche. Famous personalities, actors and singers have visited the theatre and include names such as Gay Byrne, Kathleen Watkins, Jim Bartley, Frank Kelly, Charlie McGettigan, Kienan Goss. The annual school concert is held here in May. The students have the opportunity to attend plays and workshops organised by Team Theatre throughout the school year. St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church was completed in 1846. The church is in cruciform shape, the doors, windows and arch in the sanctuary are in Gothic style. A special Mass commemorated the 150th anniversary of the church in 1996 and the local women made a patchwork quilt. The Church of Ireland was built in 1814 and completed in 1816. It is rectangular in shape with a Gothic style window in the Eastern end of the Church. It is located on the rock overlooking the town, this is supposed to be the rock from which the town takes its name. Percy French attended Service here while visiting friends in the area. There are remains of a Catholic Church in the grounds, which was supposedly destroyed by Cornwell's soldiers. Carrigallen Presbyterian Church is situated at Kivey Cross. It was built in 1836 with a cottage for the schoolteacher. The previous year a two-storey schoolhouse was built. In 1980 the church was closed down due to declining numbers. Killegar House and Lord Kilbracken Lord Kilbracken lives in Killegar House. He is a member of the House of Lords. The house is situated on an estate that was granted by King Charles 1 of England to Sir James Craig in 1640. The estate consisted of 4419 statue acres. In 1734 the estate was sold to Richard Morgan, a Dublin textile merchant. Richard Morgan had one daughter named Mary who married Rev. Dr. William Godley. They had a son named John Godley who was to inherit the estate. A dispute emerged over the will, which lasted for 26 years. By this stage John Godley had died and his eldest son John Junior inherited the estate. John Junior decided to build a house at Killegar, the present day Killegar House, along with a church, school, school teacher’s house, two gate lodges and eight cottages on the estate. The estate passed on to John Junior’s grandson John Arthur. He worked as private secretary to Gladstone. In 1909, Asquith, the Liberal premier granted the title of Lord Kilbracken to John Arthur, the grandfather of the present day Lord Kilbracken. The Irish Land Acts were passed and John Arthur encouraged his tenants to buy the land they farmed. By 1922, the estate consisted of the home farm of 20 acres and 80 acres of bog in Carrawallen. In 1927 Lord Kilbracken’s father inherited the estate and moved into Killegar House in 1936. Lord Kilbracken’s father died in 1950 and he inherited the estate along with the title of Lord Kilbracken. Clooncorrick Castle Clooncorrick, where the Williams Family now lives was once the site of an O’Rourke castle. The O’Rourkes who lived there for many centuries built it. The last O’Rourke to live there was John O’Rourke. He lived there during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. In 1705 the castle was occupied by Rev. Peter Lombard followed by the Irwin Family. In the late 18th century, the castle was reconstructed and refurbished. In 1835 Pierce Simpson bought the property and James William purchased it in 1919. The castle was demolished in the 1930’s when the owner Mr. James William, couldn’t afford to pay the taxes on the house. To-day part of the courtyard and stables are still standing. A famous Carrigallen Person Margaret of New Orleans, also known as The Angel of the Delta, The Bread Lady of New Orleans, The Celebrated Margaret, Margaret of Tully and Mother Margaret. Margaret Gaffney was born in 1813 in Tully, Carrigallen. At the age of 5, she emigrated to America with her parents who settled in Baltimore. Her parents died of yellow fever when she was nine years old. A Welsh woman named Mrs. Richard raised her. In 1835 Margaret married Charles Haughrey and moved to New Orleans. He suffered from TB and decided to travel to Ireland where he died shortly after arriving. They had a daughter named Frances who died as an infant. Margaret became renowned for her charitable work. She became friendly with Sr. Frances Regis who ran an orphanage. Margaret gave up her job in a laundry to help the orphans. She later became manager of the orphanage. In 1840 Margaret was established her first orphanage. Another was established in 1862. Margaret took control of a bakery, which became known, as Margaret's Bakery. It became very successful and was the first steam bakery in the south. The bakery employed many people. Margaret always helped the winos and beggars by giving them a loaf of bread cut in half so that they not sell it. She opened up other orphanages in the 50's and 60's. In 1882 Margaret died at the age of 69 and was given a state funeral. She was buried beside her friend Sr. Frances Regis in St. Louis Cemetery. She left all her wealth to charities except for the bakery, which was left to her foster son Bernard Klotz. In 1884 a statue of Margaret was erected in New Orleans in her honour. It was the first monument erected in the US in honour of a woman. Attractions Fishing Carrigallen is renowned for fishing. There are 14 first class fishing waters within a 3-mile radius of the town, 3 of them within walking distance of the town - The Town Lake, Gangin Lake and Mosey Lake. Other lakes in the area include Tully Lake, Calloughs Lake (trout), Cullies Lake, Gulladoo Lake, Garadice Lake, Glasshouse Lake and Dereskit Lake. This year three major fishing competitions were held - The Easter Festival, which was opened to local and international fishermen, The Dutch King of Clubs held in May for Dutch fishermen and the British Kings of Club in September for English and Northern Ireland fishermen. Corn Mill Theatre for drama, concerts and musical events Clooncorrick Portal Dolmen a megalithic tomb dating back to the Stone Age. Kilahirk ring fort a Celtic farmstead Errew 6th century graveyard Teach Duchais Folk Museum, Drumeela, Carrigallen Open Sundays 2-6pm Killegar House home of Lord Kilbracken Drumcoura City Dude Ranch horse riding Cloone Church Tower 19th century Lough Rynn House and Gardens, Mohill Fenagh medieval church ruins 6th century Swan Open Farm, Ballinamore Genealogical Centre, Ballinamore Steam Train and Railway Museum, Dromod Sliabh an Iarainn Visitor Centre, Drumshanbo The Erne-Shannon Waterway This waterway links the River Shnnon and River Erne together with the streams, rivers and lakes located between Leitrim village and the Erne. The canal is used for modern pleasure cruisers, barges, canoeing and fishing.
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