placenamesCloone
An Chluain
Cloone’s church sites record changing forms of worship, while Father Peter Conefrey’s work brought musicians, dancers and rural craftspeople together.
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
- An Chluain · Irish · main form · validated name
- Cloone · English · main form
Place & story
The tower of St James’s
The tower of St James’s Church remains above Cloone after the demolition of its nave. Built in 1822, the three-stage structure has limestone rubble walls, dressed stone bands, pointed openings and a parapet finished with battlements and pinnacles. A blocked doorway marks the former connection with the church. The architectural inventory records the graveyard’s continuing use, first by the Church of Ireland and subsequently by Catholic parishioners. [2]
Father Conefrey and the céilí band
Peter Conefrey became parish priest of Cloone in 1933. Music sessions at the parochial house helped establish the Cloone Céilí Band, which broadcast on Radio Éireann in March 1935 and again later in the decade. His 1936 feis assembled musicians, dancers and storytellers alongside demonstrations by spinners, weavers and knitters. The parish history connects these activities with his ambition to sustain Irish culture and household production. [3]
A church for a new generation
St Mary’s was dedicated by Bishop Cathal Daly on 16 June 1971. Built on the site of the old parochial house and police barracks, it replaced an older stone church whose grounds became a cemetery. Local fundraising and contributions from emigrants helped finance the work. Ray Carroll supplied its artwork, while the hexagonal sanctuary reflected the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council and brought worshippers closer to the altar. [3]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Cloone. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- St James’s Church tower, Cloone, NIAH 30817005 · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Cloone Parish History: Father Conefrey and St Mary’s Church · Evelyn Kelly; Aughavas and Cloone Parishes
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2026-09-19. How this page was prepared.