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Where is Clonduff
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| Clonduff Parish
(Co Down)
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consists of 23townlands between
the ever-growing village of Hilltown (the main centre of population) and Cabra. The
parish, situated in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains on the main Mourne Inland
Scenic Route (from Newry), is largely a sheep farming community. The village of
Hilltown is known as the "Gateway to the Mournes" and takes its name from the
Hill Family of Hillsborough who had a Hunting Lodge at 'Eight Mile Bridge' the
original name for the settlement. The Boley Fair Street
Festival in Hilltown takes place to finish on the
second Tuesday in July running from the previous Friday.
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The Legend of Clonduff
(The Clonduff Crest) |
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Cluain Daimh - The Meadow of the Ox - It is reputed that St Comghall of Bangor sent his followers to this area of Co Down to spread Christianity.
They began building their church in the townland of Ballynanny (located on The
Kilkeel Road below Spelga Dam). Each morning, the previous day's work would be
demolished. Upon investigation, it was discovered that an ox, belonging to the local
Druid came down from the mountain (The Mournes) each night and razed the building.
One of the monks cut a thorn stick and stuck it into the ground between the ox's meadow
and the new church. The stick grew into a thorn bush and the monk defied the ox to
pass the thorn bush - it never did and the building of the church was completed. The
area where the thorn bush allegedly grew is known as Bushtown to this day. The
church was eventually destroyed during Cromwell's invasion of Ireland in 1649. The
remains of the church are still standing today on the Kilkeel Road end of Old Clonduff
Road. |
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FAMILY
NAMES IN CLONDUFF
Family names, as we know them,
came into use in Ireland about the eleventh century.
Originally they were intended to perpetuate the memory
of some great man, whom his descendants were proud to
claim as an ancestor. The patronymic “O” or “Mac” was
prefixed to his name and the compound handed down from
sire to son as a family name. Thus we get O’Neill –
“descendant of (King) Niall”; MacMahon – “descendant of
(King) Mahon”. Murphy is the anglicised form of
MacMorrough the royal stock of Leinster, and Kelly, or
more correctly O Kelly, is the modern representative of
the once powerful Connacht clan, O Ceallaigh.
In many instances, family names are derived, not from
the personal name of an ancestor, but from some
designation bestowed on him to indicate character. For
example, the Irish word "cu" which literally means "a
champion", is found in many family names and signifies
"graceful" or "swift and courageous". Thus we get
Mac-Con-Uladh - "the hero of Ulster", shortened into
MacCullagh. In the same way Treanor is a shortened form
of Trean-fhear, which means “a -strong man”.
Many of the old Irish family names preserve us the trade
or profession of he original ancestor. Thus Clark is
derived from Cleireach which means the “the clerk”. Ward
is a corruption of Mac an Bhaird “son of the minstrel”,
and McAteer is a shortened form of Mac an tSaor “son of
the tradesman”.
Intensity of religious fervour led many Irish families
to adopt as their family name that of a saint with the
prefix Gil or Mul, signifying that they placed
themselves specially under the care of that particular
saint. Thus Malone signifies “servant of St. John”;
Murray “devotee of Mary”, and MacAleenan “servant of St.
Fionnáin”.
The following is a list of surnames common in the
Clonduff parish together with their Gaelic equivalents:-
ANDERSON: Mac Aindriú (son of Andrew)
BRADY: Ó Brádaigh (spirited)
BRANIGAN: Ó Branagáin (little raven)
BROWN: De Brun (the brown)
BURNS: Ó Broin (like the raven)
CAULFIELD: Mac Cathmhaoil (son of a battle chief)
DOYLE: Mac Dubh Gaill (black stranger)
FAGAN: Ó Faodhagain (descended from little Hugh)
FITZPATRICK: (Mac Giolla Phádraig (client of St.
Patrick)
GRANT: De Grannt (gigantic)
GREENAN: Ó Grianáin (pleasant)
GRIBBON: Mag Roibin (son of Robin)
HANLON: Ó hAnnluain (a champion)
McALINDON: Mac Giolla Fhionntáin (client of St. Fionntán)
McAVOY: Mac Giollabhuide (yellow lad)
McCONVILLE: Mac Conmhaoil (son of a high chief)
McGAW: Mag Ádaimh (son of Adam)
McGEE: Mac Aodha (son of Hugh)
McGINNIS: Mag an Aonghuir (son of Aongus)
McGILL: Mac an Ghoill (son of the foreigner)
McGINN: Mag Fhinn (the fair)
McGREEVY: Mag Riabhaigh (brindled)
McLOUGHLIN: Mac Lachlainn (son of Lochlin)
McPOLIN: Mac Póilin (son of little Paul)
MORGAN: Ó Muireagáin (a sailor)
MURNAN: Ó Murnáin (of a sea god)
O'HAGAN: Ó hAgáin (young fellow)
O'HARE: Ó hÍr (a champion)
WALLS: De Bháll (from the valley)
WILSON: Mac Liam (son of William)
TOWNLANDS IN THE PARISH OF CLONDUFF
Click here for a link to a wonderful Townlands map of
Clonduff
Townland names probably came into use in connection
with the periodic distribution of tribe lands under the
Brehon laws, as the laws of ancient Ireland were called.
The habits of the people were at that time mainly
pastoral, and settled individual possession of land was
not the rule. All the lands belonged to the tribe and to
its subdivisions called clans and septs. The rougher
portions of the lands, swamps and woods, were held as
common property to which each individual was entitled to
send his beasts to graze. The arable lands were shared
in allotments among the adult tribesmen for tillage
purposes. But by a practice known as Gavelkind, the
tribal lands were liable to distribution every second or
third year. To subserve this system, townland names came
into use; boundaries, as we understand them, came later.
The study of these names is interesting and instructive
if we consider their origin. Physical features,
strongholds, local events, all helped to swell the list,
and happily, the old Gaelic names still survive,
although it is sometimes difficult to recognise them in
their anglicised forms.
There are twenty-one townlands in the parish. The
following are their names in alphabetical order:
BALLYAUGHIAN: Bealachín (the little pass)
BALLYCASHONE: Baile coir Abhann (homestead beside the
river)
BALLYGORIAN: Baile Ui Dhairian (O'Dorrian’s homestead)
BALLYKEEL: Baile Caol (narrow steading)
BALLYMAGHERY: Baile an Mhachaire (homestead of the
plain)
BALLYNAGAPPOG: Baile na gCapóg (steading of dock weeds)
BALLYNANNY: Baile an Eanaigh (homestead of the uncut
bog)
BALLYWILLY: Baile an Mhaoile (homestead of the bare
hill)
CABRA: Cabrach (poor land)
CARCULLION: Carrcuileann (rough ground with holly
bushes)
CLEOMAC: Cluichemhaigh (a playing field)
DRUMBONIFF: Druim Banbh (ridge
shaped like a pig's back)
GOWARD: Baile an Colbha hÁird (steading of the raised
plinth)
ISLANDMOYLE: Aidhleann Maol (flat dwelling place)
KINGHILL: Caodhchill (church in
the marsh)
LEITRIM: Liath Druim (grey ridge)
LENISH: Baile Aonghuis (Magenis
homestead)
LEOD: Liath Fhód (grey sod)
LISNAMULLIGAN: Lios na mBolgán
(breezy spot)
MULLAGHMORE: Mullach Mór (big summit)
STANG: Stang (a measure of land)
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Hilltown Village - The first
marquis of Downshire was a man with the surname of Hill
and he gave his name to both Hilltown and Hillsborough.
The village of Hilltown was established in 1765 when the
Marquis built a church for his tenants (and himself) to
worship in. This church, though now disused, was and
still is the central focus of the village being located
in 'The Square'. It is reputed that the bell on the
Hilltown church was so loud that it could be heard in
Hillsborough and had to be silenced as it broke many
windows between Mr Hill's two residences.
Mr Hill also established a market house and coaching inn
opposite the church. These are now incorporated in the
current Downshire Arms Hotel.
Before being known as Hilltown the small community
living near the bridge (spanning the Bann River) at the
bottom of the hill was known as 'Eight Mile Bridge' as
it was eight Irish miles from Newry town.
Hilltown has always had and still has a proliferation of
pubs - there are still seven in the main street but at
one time had 12 or 13! Spirits were smuggled across the
mountains from Newcastle on the coast and served the
local hostelries. The smugglers route still exists today
and is know as "The Brandy Pad".
The village is currently a rapidly expanding commuter
centre, with six new private housing developments since
the latter part of the 1990s. It is commonly known as
"The Gateway to the Mournes" and as the traveller rounds
the last of "The Seven Bends" on the Newry road, heading
into the village, the aptness of this nickname is all
too apparent. The Kilkeel road from the village, via the
"S of Spelga" is one of the most panoramic in the
country! The River Bann rises above the Spelga Dam,
flows in and out of it, meanders through the countryside
until it reaches Lough Neagh and flows out the other
side before reaching the Atlantic Ocean near Castlerock
in Co Derry. Banbridge is built on the Upper Bann and
Coleraine is on the Lower Bann. |
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Gaelic Games in Clonduff |
Press reports show the
history of Gaelic Football in Clonduff reaching as far back as 1887 when the parish
sported two teams, The Hilltown Amateurs and The Red Hands.
Gaelic games flourished for a few years but then
subsided and it was not until 1910 that the parish again fielded a Gaelic team. During the
next ten years the parish fielded teams at Junior and Senior level under names such as The
Emeralds, The Harps and The Sarsfields.
1920 can be identified as the founding year of the
modern Clonduff Shamrocks. Success on the playing field over the next few years was
commonplace and it was in this era that Clonduff’s long tradition of providing
quality County players began – McPolin, Brannigan, Doyle, Mussen and O’Hanlon
were synonymous with both the Clonduff and County teams.
For most of the thirties the club was hardly a force to
be reckoned with but re-emerged in the early forties. Their tradition of providing County
players was to the fore again and when Down won the 1946 All Ireland, Clonduff provided
six of the panel.
In 1955 the club split into two distinct entities
– Cabra and Hilltown – the two ends of the parish. Two years later they met in
the County Final. The teams amalgamated in 1959 and the following year two of their
players won All-Ireland Senior football medals with Kevin Mussen being the first
Northerner to bring the Sam Maguire across the border.
In 1967 a group of ladies got together to found the
Clonduff Camogie Club - an effort had been made in the
early fifties but this didn't get off the ground. This
time around the committee was strong enough and had the
backing and support of the Football Club. They started
at Junior Level and progressed to Intermediate Level
where they mainly remained for almost 30 years with a
few unsuccessful flurries into the Senior League. They
took up permanent residence in the Senior League in 2003
and have grown to be one of the strongest Camogie Clubs
in Ulster, though they had to wait until 2007 to win
their first Senior Championship
Clonduff opened its own grounds in 1968 - previously
they had played in different venues throughout the
parish. At this stage there were five male and one
female team. By the time the new clubrooms and revamped
playing field opened in 1998 there were 13 male and 5
female (Camogie) teams.
When Scór competitions were introduced in the early
1970s.Clonduff became one
of the leading participating clubs. They also participated in the CCD (Camogie
organised) Ceol, Ceant agus Damhsa. They won All Ireland
titles in both competitions, picking up Céili and Set
Dancing Scór na nÓg titles in 1993 with just nine
different dancers - a feat that has never been surpassed
as of 2008. They won three All Ireland CCD titles in
1997 (Set Dancing, Quiz and Solo Singing) - the last
year of the competition.
The men of Clonduff first took up the Camán in 1983 in
preparation for the GAA Centenary Celebrations - With a
few exceptions they have remained a Junior Club though
they did go out of existence at adult level in the early
1990s. In 2008 the adults were competing in the Ulster
League and thanks to the efforts of a few adult players,
the oldest game in the country is thriving with the club
fielding teams at U-12 - U18 level.
Handball again developed in early-mid 1980s mainly
thanks to a number of young men who had been students at
St Colman's College, Newry. The local council (Newry and
Mourne) provided a juvenile alley in the village in
1989, but due to the absence of any local structures
progress was slow to non-existent! By the end of 1990s
it's popularity started re-emerging and the club can
boast All Ireland winners in the Diamond Masters Double
event.
In Centenary year, Clonduff published its McNamee award
winning history covering the previous 97 years. In 1999 it was one of the first
clubs in the country to go online - it is updated on a
daily basis. It had been the intention of the History
Sub committee to update the Club's history for the new
millennium but this did not materialise until 2007 by
which time Clonduff Club had been in existence for 120
years.
in 1987 when Down won its second All Ireland Minor Championship, the
club provided six of the panel. In the All Ireland wins of 1991 and 1994, Clonduff’s
Ross Carr and Cathal Murray played pivotal roles. John Fegan played at full forward when Down Minors lifted their third title in 1999.
Shane O'Hagan was on the team that lifted the Minor
trophy for the 4th time in 2005.
Y2K saw the Senior Footballers collect their ninth
County title and their first in 20 years - the same
goal-keeper, Johnny McAleavey was in situ for both
Championship wins! Johnny had won a National Football
League medal with Down in 1983.
The dawn of the new millennium produced a great drive
for the participation of females in sport and Clonduff
was no exception. In 2001 the Ladies Football team was
formed and from their tentative first game in Annaclone
in the Junior League in 2002, they quickly moved through
the ranks winning Junior Championship and League in
2003, Intermediate Championship and League in 2005, the
Senior Championship in 2006 which they retained in 2007
(they also won their first Senior League). Eight of the
girls playing on the 2007 winning team became 'Double
Double' Champions when the Senior Camogie team picked up
its first Senior Championship in the same year. In 2006
16-year-old Paula Gribben became a dual All Ireland
winner when she played every minute of every game in the
successful U16B Camogie and Ladies Football Championship
winning teams - in between the two All Irelands she was
'Player of the Game' in the Down Senior Ladies Final and
two weeks later she helped her club to the Minor Camogie
Championship and League double!
Currently there were now 26 teams fielding on one owned and
one rented adjacent field. A major fund-raising drive
provided the finance to
purchase the rented field and some adjacent land. It was
agreed that Clonduff would make moves towards
integration, where all 'Clonduff' activities would be
under the one umbrella in order to secure funding and
sponsorship and because it was the way to go! In June
2009 the development plans were approved by Newry and
Mourne District Council. Clonduff is still waiting to secure funding
from Sport NI to develop,
as a first stage, a much-needed third playing surface.
Clonduff has won numerous awards - South Down Club of
the Year (many times); AIB Club of the Year Down title
2000, Down and Ulster titles 2001, Irish News Ulster
Club of the Year for 2007. During 2007 the GAA launched
a pilot scheme in Ulster for the Club Maíth (Good
Practice) Award - Clonduff was one of only two clubs to
gain a Platinum Award! |
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Marker A = Location of
Clonduff GAC (Google Maps) |
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