Clones
Clones
Cluain Eois | |
|---|---|
Town | |
  Clones Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°04′57″N 6°47′53″W / 53.08252°N 6.79797°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | County Monaghan |
| Elevation | 71 m (233 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 1,680 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | N802041 |
Clones (/ˈkloʊnɪs/ KLOH-nis; from Irish: Cluain Eois) is a small town in western County Monaghan, Ireland. The area is part of the Border Region with Northern Ireland. Historically Clones was also spelt Clonis, Clonish and Clownish.[1] These are English language versions of the Irish Cluain Eois, meaning "Eos's meadow".
History[change | change source]
An abbey was built at Clones by Tigernach (also known as Tierney in English). It was built in the early 6th century. It was dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. The ruins of a 12th-century abbey building can still be found in the town. There is also a sarcophagus. They say it was built for Saint Tighearnach after he died. Clones also has a 9th-century round tower and high cross.
Ulster Canal restoration[change | change source]
The national inland waterways agency, Waterways Ireland, is planning to restore the Ulster Canal from the Newtownbutler area of Lough Erne to Clones.
Sport[change | change source]
Clones has a GAA stadium, St Tiernach's Park. This stadium is regularly used for inter-county matches during the Ulster provincial championship in Gaelic football, and traditionally hosts the final.
People[change | change source]
- Birthplace of world featherweight champion boxer Barry McGuigan, 'The Clones Cyclone'.
- Author Patrick McCabe was born here.
- Writer and playwright Eugene McCabe
- Clones was the birthplace of poet Thomas Bracken, who wrote "God Defend New Zealand", one of the national anthems of New Zealand.
- General Joseph Finegan, who commanded the Confederate Army to victory at the 1864 Battle of Olustee in Florida during the American Civil War, was born at Clones on 17 November 1814.
- Birthplace of John Joseph Lynch (1816–1888), first Archbishop of Toronto (1860–1888).
- Burial place of Roger Boyle, at the church.
- Birthplace of John George Bowes, Mayor of Toronto (1851–1853).
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland (see archival records)
Other websites[change | change source]
- Official website
- Clones GAA Archived 2008-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
- Clones History Archived 2003-02-15 at the Wayback Machine
