Cloonburren

196 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Cloonburren, from 175 m² to 288,289 m² (28.83 ha, 71.24 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 23 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Cloonburren in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 9 Dec 2021N/a

  Permission to construct a new dwelling, domestic garage, septic tank with percolation area, new site entrance and all associated external site works at

  Permission, 1 home · Roscommon County Council, 21691

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: River Shannon Callows SAC 000216
• Special Protection Area: Middle Shannon Callows SPA 004096
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: River Shannon Callows 000216

Recorded monuments

• RO054-048 Boundary mound
  Description

  Marked only on the 1925 ed. of the OS 6-inch map on the boundary between Cloonburren and Clooniff townlands where it is described in italic lettering as a 'Mound'. It is situated on a bog. It does not survive on a Bord na Mona working bog, and was probably an Ordnance Survey marker. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO054-049 Boundary mound
  Description

  Marked only on the 1925 ed. of the OS 6-inch map on the boundary between Cloonburren and Clooniff townlands where it is described in italic lettering as a 'Mound'. It is situated at the SE edge of a bog and does not survive on a bog road, and was probably an Ordnance Survey marker. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-005 Cross - Wayside cross
  Description

  At the S side of an NW-SE public road in a flat-bottomed SW-NE valley which opens out to a bog at N. Called the Cross of Cairbre Crom by J. O'Donovan in the 1830s (O'Flanagan 1931, vol. 1, 24-5), it may have been a wayside cross beside a togher connecting Clonburren (RO056-007001-) with a higher ridge to the W at Faltia. A single limestone piece with an octagonal cross-section (dims 0.3m x 0.3m; L 0.8m) has an unserviceable circular tennon at one end. A further portion (RO056-007005-) is now at Clonburren church (RO056-007001-). (Crawford 1907, 217) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-006001 Cross
  Description

  The cross-base (RO056-007007-) now in Cloonburren graveyard (RO056-007002-) was once located here at the T-junction of public roads, on the E side of the road going S from the junction. It was either on the ditch or on the roadside. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-006002 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  At the bottom of a W-facing slope c. 190m W of Cloonburren church (RO056-007002-). John O’Donovan writing in 1837 says there was a holy well ‘at the foot of this cross (RO056-005----)’ but it had moved to the other side of the road because clothes had been washed in it, and it had subsequently dried up when drains were dug to protect the road (O’Flanagan 1931, 1, 24-5; Herity 2010, 16). A well is marked on the 1915 ed. of the OS 6-inch map c. 220m ESE of the wayside cross but it is not known if it was a holy well and is no longer extant. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007001 Graveyard
  Description

  On the summit of an esker within view of Clonmacnoise monastery, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----), c. 4.5km to the ENE. The conserved remains of a rectangular church (RO056-007002-) are within a subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 70m NE-SW; c. 60m NW-SE) defined by drystone walls. An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, together with the cross-base (RO056-007005-), a fragment of a cross (RO056-007004-), a fragment of a wayside cross (RO056-007006-), and architectural fragments (RO056-007008-). See the attached view taken from the SW. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007002 Religious house nunnery - unclassified
  Description

  On the summit of an esker within view of the monastery of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----) c. 4.5km to the ENE. A religious house of nuns was founded by Caoireach Dheargáin who died in AD 577-8 (AFM). Her importance can be gauged from the attempts to trace her ancestry variously to the Ceinéal Laoighre of Meath, the Dál nAraidhe of NE Ulster and the Oirghialla of Ulster, but no solid facts of her life are known (Ó Riain 2011, 151-2). Her foundation was known as Cluain-bairenn, and the names of seven other abbesses are known between AD 713 and 1066 (Gwynne and Hadcock 1970, 315). References cease in the 11th century, and its demise may be connected with the foundation of a nunnery (OF005-029----) at Clonmacnoise before AD 1026. The church at Cloonburren is described as standing in 1641 when the Bishops of Meath and Clonfert jointly owned over 500 profitable acres there, but the land had reverted to the Bishop of Meath in the 1660s (Simington 1949, 64). The conserved foundations of a rectangular structure (ext. dims at least 6.75m E-W; 6.65m N-S) defined by low walls (T 0.8m; H 0.6-0.7m) remain, of which only the W wall is original. It may be a mortuary enclosure but it is within a subrectangular graveyard (RO056-007001-) (dims c. 70m NE-SW; c. 60m NW-SE) defined by drystone walls. An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs (Macalister 1912, fig. 2; 1945, vol. 2, 18-19, Nos 556-8; Crawford 1913, 160 b-d; Stokes 1872, Pl. 43, Fig. 109) are not present now (Herity et al. 1997, 115-6). Near the church is a cross-base with moulded corners (RO056-007007-) (dims of top 0.92m x 0.46m) which was moved from a position at the roadside c. 80m to the SSW (RO056-006----), and now supports a fragment of a cross (RO056-007004-) (dims 0.3m x 0.15m; H 0.45m) with dog-tooth decoration on a side-panel and a secondary carving in low relief on the N face. A fragment (RO056-007005-) (L 0.6m) of the wayside cross (RO056-005----) has been moved from its original position, c. 400m to the W to the graveyard. There are fragments of dressed medieval masonry (RO056-007008-) within the graveyard, including the head of a round-headed window. Archaeological testing c. 60m E (04E0692) and c. 90m SE (04E0874) of the graveyard failed to produce any related archaeological material (Carey 2007a; 2007b). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007003 Cross-slab
  Description

  On the summit of an esker within view of Clonmacnoise monastery, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----) c. 4.5km to the ENE. An almost complete cross-slab and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard (RO056-007001-), but four recorded slabs are not present. This is the large almost complete cross-slab (Wth 0.97m; H 0.86m) with expanded terminals and portion of an inscription that reads: OR DO MAEL../ EIRG (Macalister 1912, 28). It is displayed in the graveyard (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 004, Cloonburren 001). See the attached image. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October, 2014

• RO056-007004 Cross
  Description

  Situated on the summit of an esker within view of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----) c. 4.5km to the ENE. A fragment of a cross (dims 0.3m x 0.15m; H 0.45m) with dog-tooth decoration on a side-panel and a secondary carving in low relief on the N face is set in a cross-base (RO056-007006-) within the graveyard (RO056-007001-). A third carving on the S face depicts a robed figure above a leaf design and was first recorded by Gary Dempsey. See the attached image of the N face of the cross. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revised upload: 23 May 2016

• RO056-007005 Cross - Wayside cross (present location)
  Description

  On the summit of an esker within view of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----) c. 4.5km to the ENE. A small fragment of the wayside cross (RO056-005----), which is octagonal but has been damaged (dims. 0.3m x c. 0.3m; H 0.6m), was moved from its original position c. 400m to the W and is now in the graveyard (RO056-007001-). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007007 Cross (present location)
  Description

  On the summit of an esker within view of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----) c. 4.5km to the ENE. A cross-base with moulded corners (dims of top 0.92m x 0.46m), which was moved from a position (RO056-006----) at the roadside c. 80m to the SSW of the graveyard (RO056-007001-), now supports a fragment of cross (RO056-007003-) within the graveyard. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007008 Architectural fragment
  Description

  On the summit of an esker within view of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----) c. 4.5km to the ENE. At the conserved remains of a church structure (RO056-007002-) are fragments of dressed medieval masonry within the graveyard (RO056-007001-), including the head of a round-headed window. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007009 Cross-slab
  Description

  On the summit of an esker within view of Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly (OF005-004----) c. 4.5km to the ENE. An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This lost slab is described (Crawford 1913, 160, (b)) as '1 foot 11 inches by 1 foot 8 inches wide (dims c. 0.58m x 0.5m) incised with a circular border of step-pattern containing a ringed cross potent of two lines. Outside the circle are some remains of an inscription.' (Herity et al. 1997, 116, 017, Cloonburren 14) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October 2014

• RO056-007010 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but three recorded slabs are not present. This lost slab was described (Crawford, 1913, 160, c) as '11 by 5.5 inches (c. 28cm x 14cm) showing the corner of a square panel contining an encircled cross or four-pointed star formed of circular arcs.' (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 015, Cloonburren 12) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October 2014

• RO056-007011 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but three recorded slabs are not present. This is probably a sandstone (dims. 30cm x 22cm) from a cross-slab with one arm of a cross with an expanded terminal, and it is on display. (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 006, Cloonburren 03) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October 2014

• RO056-007012 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs (Macalister 1912, fig. 2; Macalister 1945, vol. 2, 18-19, Nos 556-8; Crawford 1913, 160 b-d; Stokes 1872, Pl. 43, Fig. 109) are not present (Herity et al. 1997, 115-6). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007013 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This is a large sandstone cross-slab (dims. 49cm x 40cm), and it is on display. (Herity et al. (1997, 115, 005, Cloonburren 02) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October 2014

• RO056-007014 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This is a triangular piece from a cross-slab, probably of sandstone (H 40cm; Wth at top 7cm; Wth at bottom 17cm), and it is on display. (Herity et al. (1997, 115, 007, Cloonburren 04) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-007015 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This stone is roughly rectangular (Wth 0.29cm; H 0. 26cm). It has some incised lines, which may be part of a frame of a cross, and it is on display. (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 008, Cloonburren 05). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October 2014

• RO056-007016 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This is a small sandstone piece (Wth 20cm; 13cm to 17cm) that has a double incised line overlaid by another line that may be lettering, and it is on display. (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 009, Cloonburren 06) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October, 2014

• RO056-007017 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This is an irregularly-shaped piece of sandstone (Wth 15cm; H 10-20cm) with a single zig-zag line that shows two arms of a cross, and it is on display (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 010, Cloonburren 07). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 22 October 2014

• RO056-007018 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This small curved piece of sandstone (Wth 15cm; H 8cm) has a curved groove and an incised line outside it with possibly a line curving in from the groove in a loop. It may be marking the circle of a cross. (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 011, Cloonburren 08). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October 2014

• RO056-007019 Cross-slab
  Description

  An almost complete cross-slab (RO056-007003-) and fragments of nine others are displayed in the graveyard, but four recorded slabs are not present. This is a roughly rectangular piece of what is probably sandstone (Wth 26cm; H 17cm). It has two parallel curving incised lines that may be the ring of a cross and there are two more closely spaced incised and curving lines on a different circle at a corner of the stone (Herity et al. 1997, 115, 012, Cloonburren 009). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 October 2014

• RO056-008 Road - road/trackway
  Description

  In the Ordnance Survey Letters John O'Donovan relates the legend that St Kieran set up a commemorative cross - the Cross of Carbre Crom - in the middle of a togher leading from Cloonburren townland to dryland in Faltia. A man called Loughlin O'Kelly was granted six quarters of land for rent from the Bishop of Cluain with the requirement that he repair this togher from the Cross of Carbre Crom westwards to the Cruaidh (hard ground) of Failte. According to O'Donovan the cross (RO056-005----) survived, albeit in a “mutilated state”, into the 19th century. He also records that the holy well (RO056-006002-) had dried up as a result of drains which were dug on either side of the togher to reduce flooding of the causeway (O'Flanagan 1931, vol. 1, 24-35; Herity 2010, 16). This road is depicted on the Strafford map of c. 1636 running W from the River Shannon above what is now Devinish Island through Cloonburren to Faltia (Simington 1949, Moycarn), but landmarks such as the motte (RO056-010----) and church (RO056-007002-) are not shown and its precise course cannot be known with certainty. However, it may be on the line of the present road and a stretch of it (L c. 2km) at its E end can be considered to be on its site. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-009001 Road - road/trackway
  Description

  The Esker Riada, which carried the mythical road, an tSlí Mhór – the Great Road, from Tara to the West runs WSW from Cloonburren motte and bailey (RO056-010001-) with a surviving section of road (RO056-009----) at its W end. From a gap in the esker c. 1.2km WSW of the motte and at a gap in the esker a branch (RO056-009001-) turned N to Cloonburrren church site (RO056-007002-). From the gap in the esker it ran NNE (L c. 180m) and joined the present road (L c. 140m) from where it probably turned E (L c. 330m) and then N (L c. 500m) to join the laneway just E of the graveyard (RO056-007001-). Only a short section of a sunken way (Wth c. 2-8m; L c. 40m) survives at the S end, and the N end is visible as a cropmark of two linear ditch features placed c. 10m apart (L c. 200m) on aerial images (OSAP: 1995). Archaeological testing (01E0260) c. 90m to the W and c. 200m S of the church failed to produce any related material (Henry 2003a). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 11 December, 2015

• RO056-010001 Castle - motte and bailey
  Description

  At the NE end of the NE-SW esker known as Esker Riada. This territory was held by De Costentin until AD 1215 (Cal. doc. Ire., No. 590), but the motte was garrisoned by Aed Ua Conchobair in 1226 (Doran 2005, 368-70). This is a flat-topped, grass-covered gravel mound (diam. of top 12.7m E-W; 13.4m N-S; diam. of base 46m E-W; H 8m at W to 11.5m at E) with a slight fosse (at ENE: Wth of base 2m; D 0.4m) and outer bank or field bank (at ENE: Wth 2.8m; H 0.6m) at the base. The fosse is most pronounced (Wth of top c. 15m; Wth of base 2m; D 4.5m) at W where there is a subrectangular grass-covered bailey on the esker (dims 45m N-S; 24m E-W) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 11m; int. H 1.2-1.5m; ext. H 2.6-3m) and outer fosse (Wth of top 11.7m; Wth of base 3m; D 1.3m) at W with a scarp (H 3.7m) and an outer fosse (Wth of top 10.5m; Wth of base 3.5m; D 0.3m) at N and a scarp (H 3.8m) and fosse (Wth of top 8.6m; Wth of base 2m; D 1m) at S . There is a central E-W rib (Wth 7.5m; max. H 0.5m) in the bailey, which is probably the remains of a later field bank, but there is no evidence of an original entrance. Archaeological testing (07E0365) c. 60m to the NE produced no related material (Connell 2007). (Graham 1988b, 25) See the attached aerial view taken from the SE. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 18th October 2011 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 4/2007).

• RO056-011001 Castle - unclassified
  Description

  On the callows or flood-plain on the W bank of the River Shannon, about 30m from the river at a fording place (RO056-011003-) called Snamh dá Ean – Swim two birds - where an island narrows the river channel (Wth c. 90m). This was a recognised point on the boundary of Uí Maine (O'Donovan 1843, 5). It is said to be where a rígdál or royal conference took place in 997 AD between the High King Méal Sechlainn of Meath and Brian Boru, king of Munster, ensuring their co-operation in the following years (Grenham 2000). The road extending W from the River Shannon through Cloonburren is marked on the Strafford map of c. 1636. The castle is not mentioned but over 500 profitable acres there were owned jointly by the Bishops of Meath and Clonfert in 1641, but the land had reverted to the Bishop of Meath by the 1660s. (Simington 1949, 64, Moycarn) The castle is a grass-covered mound of masonry rubble (dims of top 12.5m N-S; 10.3m E-W; dims of base c. 20m N-S; c. 15m E-W; H 0.5-1.8m), known locally as the Castle Acre. A fragment of a graveslab (Wth c. 0.43m; L c. 0.38m; T c. 0.07m) which is broken off at one end was found here before 1955 and is now in NMI. It is incised with a cross that has circular terminals, circles at the crux, and fluer-de-lis in the angles. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

• RO056-011002 Graveslab
  Description

  A small rectangular sandstone slab (Wth c. 0.43m; L c. 0.38m; T c. 0.07m) which is broken off at one end was found at the castle site (RO056-011001-) before 1955 and is now in NMI. It is incised with a cross that has circular terminals, circles at the crux, and fluer-de-lis in the angles. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Cloonburren.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

At the centre of the townland of Cloonburren, about 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as moderately low, low, partly inferred. Parts of the land are water.

Terrain model

LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_1492 (ZIP).

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Cloonburren with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Roscommon.

Name

Cloonburren · Cluain Boireann

Area

3,758,157 m² (375.82 ha, 928.66 acres)

Civil parish

Moore, and its townlands

Barony

Moycarn

Electoral division

Cloonburren, the unit of the census

Census 2022

231 people lived in 75 households in the Cloonburren electoral division. 96% of households owned their home. 26% of homes were built since 2001. 11% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 3% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

America, Cappaleitrim, Cappantogher, Clooniff, Cornaveagh, Hillsend

Placenames

Cloonburren on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address. Old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.