Gougane Barra

Gougane Barra Guagán Barra
—  Settlement  —
Church at Gougane Barra - built on island near monastery/well site at end of 19th century.
Gougane Barra Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 51°50′20″N 09°19′09″W
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	County Cork
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)

Gougane Barra (Irish: Guagán Barra, meaning "the rock of Barra") is a settlement, west of Macroom in County Cork, Ireland.

The name Gougane Barra comes from Saint Finbarr, who is said to have built a monastery on an island in the lake nearby during the 6th century. The present ruins date from around 1700 when a priest called Denis O'Mahony retreated to the island. During the times of the Penal Laws, Gougane Barra's remoteness meant that it became a popular place for the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass.

Afforestation of the area around the settlement began in 1938 and Gougane Barra is now home to a 1.42 square kilometre forest park which is home to a number of mammal and bird species.

See also

• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Cork)
• List of towns and villages in Ireland

External links

• Gougane Barra Travel Guide
• Gougane Barra at the Cork Guide Web site