The Story of the Clonmore Name

The name Clonmore comes from the Irish Cluain Mhór, meaning “Great Meadow.” Cluain refers to a meadow or pasture, while mór means “great” or “large.” The Placenames Database of Ireland records Cluain Mhór as the Irish name for Clonmore.

Clonmore may be a small village today, but its history is anything but small. In fact, it is one of County Carlow's most important early Christian sites.

A monastery was founded here around 600 AD by St. Máedóc, also known as St. Mogue. The monastery flourished for several centuries and became an important center of religious life and pilgrimage. Other saints associated with Clonmore include St. Fionnán Lobhar and St. Onchú, who was traditionally believed to have gathered a remarkable collection of relics here.

The importance of the monastery is still visible in the landscape. Although the monastic buildings themselves have disappeared, the cemetery contains two large crosses, nineteen cross-inscribed stones, an ogham stone and two bullaun stones. Together, they provide an extraordinary glimpse into early Christian Ireland.

Clonmore's reputation was apparently considerable. Tradition suggests that it became a pilgrimage destination whose collection of relics was important enough to draw visitors from considerable distances. But the monastery also attracted less welcome visitors: Viking raiders attacked Clonmore on Christmas Night in 836.

Centuries later, another layer of history appeared. Clonmore Castle, a square medieval fortress with towers and turrets, was probably constructed toward the end of the thirteenth century. Its ruins still stand near the village, creating a striking contrast with the much older monastic remains.

Clonmore also has a connection to Irish music and history through P. J. McCall, the nineteenth-century balladeer who was born here. McCall composed hundreds of songs, including “Boolavogue” and “Follow Me Up to Carlow.”

So in one small corner of Carlow, we find an ancient meadow, a sixth-century monastery, saints and relics, Viking raids, a medieval castle and one of Ireland's best-known ballad writers.

And the name remains wonderfully simple:

Cluain Mhór — the Great Meadow.

Clonmore is exactly the sort of place I hoped we'd uncover with this project: small in size, but carrying an astonishing amount of Irish history beneath its name and landscape.