Clooncarreen, Mohill Civil Parish, Co Leitrim, Ireland
In 1901 Census, Clooncarreen is shown with 33 houses, containing 87 males and 77 females. While Clooncarreen is the formal name of the townland it is almost never used in practice. Clooncarne is just one variant name of the townland in question. It is also rendered as Cloncarne, Cloncarn or even Clooncarn. The inhabitants use all of these variants, but it is arguable that all are wrong. On the Ordnance Survey and other maps, the townland is known as Clooncarreen, which was its name in the days of British rule. However, this history will use the vernacular version, and generally spell it as Clooncarne. Clooncarne is one of the largest townlands in the Parish of Bornacoola. It is, in common with most of Bornacoola, a fairly flat area of small fields and some bogland. To my knowledge, it has escaped the Forestry people so far, and is still primarily agricultural, with cattle rearing the main occupation. The booklet produced by the Bornacoola Active Age Group, Meandering through Bornacoola, gives the following description and history of Clooncarne. Clooncarne, which was formerly known as Clooncarreen, with the Gaelic form Cluain Caithrin, meaning the meadow land of the stone fort, is the largest townland in Bornacoola comprising an area of 835 acres. It is bordered by Ballygeeher. Clooneagh, Cashel and the parish of Gortletteragh. The population of Clooncarne has greatly diminished over the years. In 1841 there were 284 inhabitants which had reduced to 71 in 1999. Clooncarne can be subdivided into several loose divisions:
Gurteen: Comprising the area from Costellos (formerly Owen Mahon's) to Georgie McGarry's.
Grousehall: The area around McGowans and Pat Reilly's.
Cloghernagh: The area from Flynn's to Molloy's
Street: From Molloy's to Reynold's Hill.
Thone: From McDermott's to McGuinness'
Rock; The area around Diffley's, Barry's (formerly Conboy's) and across the fields to Costello's.
