Mohill (barony)

The barony of Mohill ( ga, Maothail, historically Conmhaícne Maigh Réin) is an ancient barony in County Leitrim, Republic of Ireland.

Etymology

Mohill barony shares its name with Mohill (, "soft or spongy ground") village. Historically a variety of corrupted names were used- ga, Maethail, Maothail, Maothail-Manchan, Maethail-Manachain, enm, Moithla, Moethla, Maethla, Maothail, abbr=midEng, and la, Mathail, Nouella.

Location

Mohill is found in south County Leitrim, on the Cloone River, containing Lough Rynn and bordering Lough Boderg. It is bordered to the northeast by Carrigallen; to the northwest by Leitrim (both the preceding baronies are also in County Leitrim); to the southeast by Longford, County Longford; and to the southwest by Ballintober North, County Roscommon.

History

This place was historically named Conmhaícne Maigh Réin. After the 9th century the Reynolds (MacRannall or Muintir Eolais) were chiefs of this territory.

Plague

Back in the 6th century, the Justinian plague of Mohill devastated the population of Mohill barony and parish.

Museum artefacts

The following are preserved in a collection at the Royal Irish Academy museum in Dublin.

A medieval sword was found buried deep in hard clay and gravel in the Black river running through the Clooncumber townland, in Cloone parish, county Leitrim. The long narrow sword blade, of the leaf-shape style, measures long by width, imperfect at both extremities, with four rivet-holes on the hand-plate.

A medieval spear-head was found buried deep in gravel, between Rinn Lough and Lough Sallagh, near Mohill in county Leitrim. This bolt or arrow head measures long, with the length of the socket as long as the blade.

Breanross hanging tree

, according to tradition recorded by Irish Folklore Commission, is the stump of a hangman's tree, on which Irish rebels of 1798 were executed , is still pointed out at Breanross townland.

Cloonmorris Ogham stone

The is the only recorded Ogham inscribed stone discovered in county Leitrim.

Oldest Irishman

aged may be the oldest recorded Irishman, dying at Tawnymore in Cloone on . A telegram reporting his death was sent to news outlets from Mohill . His father had fought under General Munro in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and was imprisoned and martyred afterwards. Tom Coughlan compiled his unverified biography.

Natural history

Irish elk

In the 19th Century the skull of an ancient Irish elk was "found in the parish of Cloone, barony of Mohill, county of Leitrim. This head was in the possession of a labourer, who said he found it in the river, under the village of Cloone. A very perfect, large head, measuring, from the occipital crest at top to the end of the mouth bone, 22 inches. The head is rather narrower than usual; a portion of each stem and both brow antlers are perfect. The palm of the brow antler is seven inches across ; there is some irre gularity in the crown of the left beam, as if from exuberant growth; a small tit-like projection, apparently the commencement of a third horn, springs from the bone beneath the base of the beam on this side. The colour of the whole is very dark, but both the bone and horn are in a fine state of preservation; it is heavier than any of the other specimens held by the Royal Irish Academy museum in Dublin."

List of settlements

Below is a list of settlements in Mohill barony:
*Cloone
*Mohill
*Dromod
*Roosky

Notes and references

Plague notes

Mohill notes

Citations

Irish annals

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Primary sources

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Secondary sources

Ecclesiastical

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Oldest Irishman

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Archaeological

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Rebellion

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External links

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{{County Leitrim

Baronies of County Leitrim
Places of Conmaicne Maigh Rein