Lumcloon is a townland in the parish of Cloghan and Banagher (originally Gallen and Reynagh) in County Offaly. County Offaly as it is known today came into existence in 1556 after the English plantation of both Laois and Offaly by Queen Mary 1 of England. The newly structured counties were given new names also, with Offaly being called “King’s County” after King Philip husband of Queen Mary 1 and Laois became “Queen’s County”. These were the official names of the two counties until 1922 and the creation of the new state. Offaly comes from the name of an important family in the Midlands from about the 14th century on, the “O’Conchubhair Faighle” (O’Connor Faly). The land controlled by the O’Connor Faly family became known as Ua bhfailghe. The English settlers had difficulty pronouncing this and the area became known as Offaly by the English speakers. In 1922 this was the name given to King’s County by the newly formed government of Ireland. Click here for an aerial view of our school. The word Lumcloon comes from the Irish Lom and Cluain. Lom meaning bare and Cluain meadow. We are surrounded by bog land, developed and undeveloped. The populated area is a very low hill rising out of the bog with the soil consisting of a hard blue/grey clay. We are situated in the Bog of Allen and the area has been extensively developed by Bord na Móna. Our school is in the middle of Lough Boora Parklands. Bord na Móna have opened up the area around Lough Boora as a park and wildlife sanctuary and is well worth a visit.
The historic monastic site of Clonmacnois is also quite close, as are Cloghan and Clononey Castles.
Click here to read about one of our visits to Clonmacnois.
Clononey Castle is now a private residence and Cloghan Castle is still inhabited and can be visited during the summer. Flood waters from the Shannon make it hard to get to during the winter.