placenamesBunnyconnellan
Muine Chonalláin
Known widely as Bonniconlon, this north Mayo village has a history preserved in estate records, church fabric and its agricultural show.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Muine Chonalláin · Irish · main form · validated name
- Bunnyconnellan · English · main form
- Bonniconlan · English · main form · local name
Place & story
An estate changed hands
The O'Dowd estate at Bunnyconnellan survived into the eighteenth century as part of the family's former lands. Its later sale gives a concrete glimpse of nineteenth-century change: Charles Downing bought most of the estate, amounting to 4,893 acres, through the Encumbered Estates' Court in November 1854. The University of Galway's estate record connects it with Oatlands House in Bunnyconnellan West. [2]
A church rebuilt in stages
The Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was formerly called Saint Barnabas's. Architect Rudolph Maximilian Butler designed its reconstruction in two stages, in 1908 and 1923. Its cross-shaped plan and exposed timber roof remain important features, while Walter Michael's stained glass, installed in 1995, adds a later layer of craftsmanship. The building records both substantial rebuilding and subsequent changes to its interior. [3]
The agricultural show
Bonniconlon's agricultural show began in November 1949. Its organisers set out to exhibit farming, gardening and craft skills and to bring together local people and those who had moved away. New showgrounds opened in 2008. Livestock, jumping, flowers, cookery and photography have all formed part of its programme, making the show a meeting place as well as a competition. [4]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Bunnyconnellan. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- O'Dowd (Bunnyconnellan) · University of Galway, Landed Estates
- Catholic Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 31303102 · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- History of the Show · Bonniconlon Agricultural Show
- Bunnyconnellan village street illustration: based on a Bunnyconnellan by Richard Webb. AI-assisted watercolour and ink adaptation; cream paper margins added, incidental clutter omitted and fine details simplified. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2025-01-10. How this page was prepared.