Coologe

Coologe Lake, County Cavan

Coologe (from Irish Cúl Ó nGuaire meaning Guaire's Corner) is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.

Geography

Coologe is bounded on the north by Toberlyan Duffin townland, on the west by Toberlyan and Derrycassan townland, on the south by Burren townland and by Kiltynaskellan townland in Kildallan parish and on the east by Callaghs and Killarah townlands in Kildallan parish. Its chief geographical features are Coologe Lake and the Shannon–Erne Waterway. Coologe is traversed by a public road and several rural lanes.

The townland covers 265 statute acres.

History

Coologe was the residence of the McGovern (name) chiefs of Tullyhaw in medieval times before they moved to Ballymagauran in the 1400's.

The 1836 Ordnance Survey Namebooks give the Irish version of the townland as Cuileóg meaning a little corner. However the earlier texts differ. A poem (Poem 2, verse 27) composed about 1290 A.D. in the Book of Magauran gives the name as 'Cúl Ó nGuaire' (Guaire's corner):

Pleasant is the home of the hero of Botha,

Sheltering the scion of Conn and Corc from wind and rain

Coologe is no place to be raided,

It is a castle whose commands are the most steadily obeyed in the world.

(Suairc ionadh longphoirt laoich Bhoth,

ar ghaoith d'ua ChonnChuirc 's ar chioth

Cúl ó nGuaire ní cúl creach,

dún na mbreath bhus bhuaine ar bioth).

The Annals of Loch Cé under the year 1298 state: Brian Bregach Mac Shamhradhain, chieftain of Tellach-Echach, the most bountiful and puissant man that was in his own time, was slain by Aedh Breifnech O'Conchobhair and the Clann-Muirchertaigh, in his own house at Cuil-O'Guaire, on the third day of summer (Brian bregach Mag Shamradhan, taisech Tellaigh Echach, fer rob ferr enech agus engnum do bhí na aimsir fein, do mharbad la h-Oedh mBreiffnech Hui Conchobair, agus la Clainn Muirchertaigh, na thigh fein a Cúil O nGuaire in tres lá do shamradh).

The Annals of Connacht 1298 state- Brian Bregach Mag Samradain, chieftain of Tullyhaw, the most generous and valorous man of his time, was killed by Aed Brefnech O Conchobair and the Clan Murtagh in his own house at Coologe on the third day of summer (Brian Bregach Mag Samradan toisech Tellaig Echach, fer rob ferr enech & engnam bai ina amsir fein, do marbad la hAed mBrefnech hui Conchobair agus la Clainn Murcertaig na tig fein a Cuil hui nGuaire an tres la do tSamrad.). Poem 4 in the Book of Magauran laments Brian's death when the castle was burned.

On 19 January 1586 Queen Elizabeth I of England granted a pardon to Phelim m'Brien m'Thomas Magawran, of Colleaghe, for fighting against the Queen's forces (He later became Chief of the McGoverns and built Ballymagauran Castle. He died 20 January 1622).

Until the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652, the modern townland of Toberlyan formed part of the modern townland of Coologe, as one of its subdivisions. Another subdivision of Coologe was the modern townland of Toberlyan Duffin. Therefore neither of the Toberlyans are depicted on the 1609 Baronial or 1665 Down Survey maps or appear in the land grants before 1652.

The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as Coleag. The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Cooleoge.

In the Hearth Money Rolls of 29 September 1663 there were two people paying the Hearth tax in the townland- Nola Ny Conell and Neale O Doan.

A grant dated 3 June 1667 from King Charles II to Thomas Coote included part of Cooleoge with an area of 59 acres and 32 perches at an annual rent of £0-15s-11 3/4d. A grant dated 9 September 1669 from King Charles II to Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey included part of Cooleoge with an area of 23 acres and 26 perches at an annual rent of £0-6s-2 1/2d.

The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list twelve tithepayers in the townland.

The Ordnance Survey Name Books for 1836 give the following description of the townland- "Coologe. The whole of the E.,S. and a great part of the W. of the townland is bounded by a large river and lake."

Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists sixteen landholders in the townland.

In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are fourteen families listed in the townland.

In the 1911 census of Ireland, there are eleven families listed in the townland.

Antiquities

The chief structures of historical interest in the townland are:

• An earthen ringfort on the shore of the lake which is probably the site of the McGovern Chief's residence referred to above. Poem 1 in the Book of Magauran describes what the castle looked like about 1290 A.D.
• A crannóg in the lake, 100 metres from the shore;
• A medieval quern-stone was found in the townland.
• A pair of twisted bronze tubes with punched decoration, found in Coologe Lough.

External links

• The IreAtlas Townland Data Base

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