Tomfinlough facts for kids
Tomfinlough is a special area in County Clare, Ireland. It's known as a civil parish, which is like an old way of dividing up land. Tomfinlough is a very old place, one of the first settlements known in the area around Newmarket-on-Fergus.
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Exploring Tomfinlough: History and Location
Tomfinlough is located in the beautiful countryside of County Clare. It's a place with a long history, showing how people lived in Ireland many years ago.
What is a Civil Parish?
A civil parish is a type of local area that was used for things like counting people or collecting taxes a long time ago. It's different from a church parish, which is for religious purposes. Tomfinlough is one of these historic civil parishes.
The Ruined Church and Finn Lough
In Tomfinlough, you can find the remains of an old parish church. It's now a ruined building, but it tells a story of the past. This church is located near the northern end of a pretty lake called Finn Lough, or sometimes Fenloe. Lakes like Finn Lough are important parts of the Irish landscape.
Oldest Settlement in the Region
Tomfinlough holds a special place in history because it's believed to be the oldest known settlement in the area near Newmarket-on-Fergus. This means people have been living and building communities here for a very long time.
Villages and Townlands of Tomfinlough
Within the civil parish of Tomfinlough, there are smaller areas that make up the community. These include a village and many townlands.
The Village of Ardsallis
The parish of Tomfinlough includes the village of Ardsallis. Villages are small communities where people live and often have local shops or services.
Understanding Townlands
A townland is the smallest official land division in Ireland. It's a very old system, and each townland has its own unique name. Tomfinlough civil parish contains many of these townlands. They include:
- Ayleacotty
- Ballycar
- Boheraroan
- Caherkine
- Caherscooby
- Carrowmeer
- Carrownakilly
- Finlough
- Granaghan
- Granaghan Beg
- Granaghan More
- Kilnacrandy
- Langough
- Mausnarylaan
- Mooghaun North
- Mooghaun South
- Muckanagh (Butler)
- Muckanagh (Studdert)
- Muckanagh (Vandeleur)
- Newmarket
- Rathlaheen North
- Rathlaheen South
- Snugborough
These names often come from Irish words and can tell us about the history or features of the land.
