Cullohill
Encyclopedia
R639 road
The R639 road is one of Ireland's regional roads. Once designated the N8 national primary road , it was reclassified in stages as the R639 following the progressive opening of sections of the M8 motorway, which rendered the single carriageway N8 redundant as a national primary road...
road in County Laois, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
History
A priory of Augustine canons was founded here in 550 by O'Dempsey, under the invocation of St. Tighernach who is now the patron saint of the area.The village is home to an impressive early 15th century tower house, once the principal stronghold of the MacGillapatricks (or Fitzpatricks) of Upper Ossory. The Castle has a Sheela na Gig
Sheela Na Gig
Sheela na gigs are figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva. They are found on churches, castles and other buildings, particularly in Ireland and Britain, sometimes together with male figures. One of the best examples may be found in the Round Tower at Rattoo, in County...
and a medieval church.
Under their patronage, a medical school flourished at Aghmacart towland, about a mile from the castle from before 1500 to c.1610. It was conducted by the Ó Conchubhair family. Its physicians included Donnchadh Óg Ó Conchubhair (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1581-1611), Risteard Ó Conchubhair (1561–1625), Donnchadh Albanach Ó Conchubhair (1571–1647) and Cathal Ó Duinnshléibhe (fl. 1592-1611).
According to 1837 records Cullohill was listed as a village in the parish of Aghmacart. Aghmacart is now a townsland of Cullohill and contains an old church and graveyard which are still in use. Church Service (Church of Ireland) is held at 9a.m. every second Sunday.
It is now part of Durrow parish and is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory is a Roman Catholic diocese in eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin...
.
Activities
Cullohill is surrounded by wonderful Irish countryside and has several public walkways from leisurely rambles to challenging treks up the nearby hills. Description of Walks on Laois Tourism websiteGAA
The local GAA club is The Harps GAAHarps GAA
The Harps GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling, gaelic football and camogie club in County Laois, Ireland. It is a combination of players from the villages of Cullohill and Durrow.-Details:...
which was formed in 1984 as an amalgamation with Durrow. Up until then Cullohill had its own hurling team and had won the Laois senior hurling championship in 1955 and 1964. The 1955 team was captained by Lar Dunphy and the 1964 team by Martin Mahony.
People
Darina Allen the well known TV chef and cook book author is a native of Cullohill. Her family remain there today where they own and run the local pub, The Sports Man's Inn, or O'Connell's as it is more known locally.See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland