Moylagh, County Meath
Moylagh (Irish: Maigh Locha, meaning 'plain of the lake')[1] is a civil parish and townland in the northwest of County Meath, Ireland.[2] The village of Drumone lies within the civil parish.
Geography
Moylagh townland lies within the Catholic parish of Oldcastle and Moylagh.[3] Both the civil parish and townland of Moylagh are in the historical barony of Fore.[2]
The village of Drumone is within the civil parish of Moylagh.[4] The civil parish also contains 16 townlands, including Gortloney.[5] Gortloney townland, which has an area of approximately 2.2 square kilometres (0.85 sq mi),[6] had a population of 86 in 2011.[7]
History
Evidence of ancient settlement in the Moylagh area includes a number of ringfort and tower house (castle) sites.[8][9] The remains of Moylagh Castle, a tower house in the townland of Milltown, stand on top of an artificial earthen mound or motte.[10] Moylagh's Catholic church, Saint Mary's Church in Garrynabolie townland, was built in 1834.[11][12]
Archaeological sites are also located in the surrounding townlands,[8] and Gortloney, for example, contains a number of ringforts and a possible castle site.[13][14] Gortloney's former national (primary) school was built c. 1860.[15]
References
- ^ "Maigh Locha / Moylagh". logainm.ie. Irish Placenames Commission. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Moylagh Townland, Co. Meath". townlands.ie. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "About Us". oldcastleandmoylaghparish.com. Oldcastle and Moylagh Parish. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "Sub-units of: Maigh Locha/Moylagh (population centres)". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ "Sub-units of: Maigh Locha/Moylagh (townlands)". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ "Gortloney Townland, Co. Meath". Townlands of Ireland. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ "CD165 - Meath Population by Private Households, Occupied and Vacancy Rate". data.gov.ie. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
Population [..] Townlands [..] 2011 [..] Gortloney, Crosskeys, Co. Meath: 83
- ^ a b Archaeological Inventory of County Meath. Dublin: Government Stationery Office. 1987.
- ^ "Moylagh Tower House & Castle". boynevalleydaytours.com. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ "Moat Castle, Milltown, Co. Meath". irishhistory.com. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ "Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Garrynabolie, Meath". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ "About Moylagh - Oldcastle Moylagh Parish". oldcastlemoylaghparish.ie. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ Moore, Michael J., ed. (1987). Archaeological Inventory of County Meath. Dublin: Government Stationery Office. ISBN 0707600316.
- ^ "NMS mapping data - ME015-068----" – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com.
ME015-068---- : Castle - unclassified : Gortloney [..] A castle at Garclonne (41b) in Moylagh parish is not depicted on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map of Fore but is on the parish map [..] It is depicted amongst a cluster of buildings on the 1836 ed. of the OS 6-inch map where it is described in gothic lettering as Green Castle [..] there are no visible remains, and it is now occupied by a modern house
- ^ "Gortloney National School, Gortloney, Meath". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
53°43′31″N 7°11′23″W / 53.72528°N 7.18972°W
