Loughglinn

Loughglynn Officially spelt Loughglinn (Irish: Loch Glinne) is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. The Village is named after the lake located to the north of the village.

Features

Loughglynn is a pleasant village;located on the R325 midway between Castlerea and Ballaghaderreen. The local national school, with a Green Schools flag, is called Scoil Mhuire Lourdes and was opened as a three teacher school in the early 1960's. It is now a four teacher school and has won the 3-4 teacher schools GAA county final a number of times. The village also boasts a Garda station, two public houses, two shops, one Colemans incorporates the post office a funeral home, a community centre with a play school, a catholic church (Our Lady Of Good Counsel) and the soccer pitch home to Loughglynn United just beside the lake. The lake is also the source of the name of the village.

History

Loughglynn House was the main residence of the Dillon family, built circa 1715, extended in the 1820s and altered again in the early 20th century. It is recorded in 1814, 1837 and in Griffith's Valuation as the seat of Viscount Dillon. The Dillons were absentee landlords for much of the nineteenth century and their agents, the Stricklands, lived in the house.

A famous Loughglynn man was Ned Duffy who was born 22/8/1840 he was a fenian organiser of the 19th Century he died in Millbank prison 17/1/1868. Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa was in Millbank when he died and penned a famous lament some of the lines include "In the dead house you are lying, and I'd "wake" you if I could, But they'll wake you in Loughglin, 'Ned, in that cottage by the wood" There is a monument to Ned Duffy near the old school which was unveiled by Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan TD in the 1960's.

On the 19th. April, 1921 four I.R.A. men were staying in a house near Loughglynn wood. When they learned that the Black and Tans were combing the wood, under a Captain McKay of the Leicestershire Regiment. The four men attempted to escape. Two were wounded Joe Satchwell and Thomas (Toby) Scally . Following a drumhead court martial the others, John Bergin and Stephen McDermott were shot on the spot. There is a monument to all from the locality who gave their lives during the War of Independence across from the church known as Mother Éireann.

On July 7th 1980 two Gardai John Morley and Henry Byrne were murdered at Shannon's Cross Loughglynn following an armed robbery on the Bank of Ireland Ballaghaderreen. Two other Gardai Sgt Mick O Malley and Garda Derek O Kelly survived the shoot out.

The convent

In 1903, Loughglynn house was sold to the Bishop of Elphin Dr Clancy who invited the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary to establish a convent, and there started an Ateliers where teenage girls would learn Home Economics. The sisters established a dairy and Loughglynn butter and cheese was famous all over the world until they ceased this activity in the 1960's. They then opened a nursing home for their own retired sisters and also had residents who were not nuns and known locally as the patients.

In 2003 Gerry Gannon bought the convent for a sum less than €2m. It is now reportedly in the ownership of his wife Margaret

Our Song

The local anthem is the Woodlands of Loughglynn dedicated to the memory of those that died in the Woodlands in April 1921. It was written in the 1920's by a Lisacul woman the late Bea Doherty of Creevy

The song has also been recorded by among others Brendan Shine.

The Words of the Song

The summer sun was sinking low, Behind the western sea, The lark's loud song was pealing sweet, But it brought no joy to me. For the one I loved is far away, He's left his tyrants den He fought till death, and then he left, The woodlands of Loughglynn.

2. A noble Irishman was he, John Berigan was his name. He belonged to Tipperary, And from Nenagh town he came. But now, thank God, that he is gone, Away from harm and sin, He fought till death, and then he left, The woodlands of Loughglynn.

3. McDermott too, was brave and true, From the plains round Ballinagare, He's missed at many's a fireside, In the homes both near and far. He's missed at home in Brackloon By his own dear kith and kin, His comrade true, they'll miss him too, In the woodlands of Loughglynn.

4. When our heroes they were dying there, They sent for the clergyman, Let no one think, they feared to face, The English Black-and-Tans. The clergy came and were in time, But as they said "Amen", McDermott's soul was departing to, The woodlands of Loughglynn.

A version on youtube is available here.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RAu45myODs

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland