Glenamoy Gleann na Muaidhe
Village
Glenamoy post office and filling station
Glenamoy Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 54°14′26″N 9°40′45″W / 54.240685°N 9.679084°W / 54.240685; -9.679084
Country	Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	County Mayo
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Time zone	UTC+0 ( WET)
• Summer ( DST)	UTC-1 ( IST ( WEST))
Irish Grid Reference	F905335

Glenamoy ( Irish: Gleann na Muaidhe) ^[1] is a village in the civil parish of Kilcommon, Erris in the northern part of County Mayo in Ireland. The R314 road passes through Glenamoy. ^[2]

Glenamoy is also an electoral division (ED) in the local electoral area of Belmullet. ^[3] As of 2022, Glenmoy ED had a population of 205 people. ^[4] It is a Gaeltacht ( Irish speaking) area. ^[1]

Geography

Topography

The electoral division of Glenamoy includes the following six townlands: ^[5]

• Bellagelly North (Béal a Ghoile meaning "mouth of the stomach")
• Bellagelly south (Béal a Ghoile meaning "mouth of the stomach")
• Glencullin Lower (Gleann Chuilinn Íochtarach)
• Glenturk Beg (Gleann Toirc Beag)
• Glenturk More (Gleann Toirc Mór)
• Muingingaun (Moing Iongáin meaning "stream of the talons")

Other townlands in the area include:^{[ citation needed]}

• Baralty (Barr Altaigh meaning "hills/cliffs/anything high")
• Bunalty (Bun Altaigh meaning "base of the hills/cliffs")
• Srahnaplaia (Srath na Pláighe meaning "holm of the plague")
• Pollboy (Poll Buí meaning "yellow hole")
• Lenarevagh (An Léana Riabhach meaning "grey meadows")^{[ citation needed]}

The townlands of Glenamoy make up the inland portion of Kilcommon parish which is, in the main, a coastal area. Much of Glenamoy is remote in nature and consists of large expanses of blanket bog. The electoral division of Glenamoy covers an area of approximately 14,500 acres (59 km²). ^[5]

Rivers which flow through the area include the Glenamoy River, which rises in Glencalry ( Belderrig) townland and ultimately flows into Sruwaddacon estuary and Broadhaven Bay. The Owenmore River flows via Carrowmore Lake into Blacksod Bay where a tributary of it (known as the Munhin River) connects the area with the Ulster Cycle saga of Táin Bó Flidhais.^{[ citation needed]}

The habitations in Glenamoy are spread out across a wide area; This is a remnant of the Rundale system of agriculture which was once commonplace in the area.^{[ citation needed]}

Glenamoy bog complex

The Glenamoy bog complex is a large site situated in the north-west of Erris, incorporating both inland and coastal regions. The climate is wet and oceanic and there are frequent strong winds across the area which is largely treeless and relatively exposed. The bog complex area is drained by four main river systems - the Glenamoy, the Muingnabo, the Belderg and the Glenglassra rivers. Extreme oceanic blanket bog dominates the site in its inland areas. ^[6] Sea cliffs dominate the coastline and there are a number of steeply sided islands off the coast which are sometimes used for summer grazing of livestock. ^[6]

History

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of possible crannógs in the townland of Bellagelly North. ^[7] The Record of Monuments and Places records a ringfort site in Muingingaun townland. ^[7]

During the 19th century, several shooting lodges were used by the local landlords and landed gentry to host shooting parties.^{[ citation needed]} As of the late 19th century, a number of lace schools (associated with the Congested Districts Board) operated in the broader Erris area. ^[8]

On 21 September 1922, during the Irish Civil War, a detachment of pro-Treaty National Army troops were ambushed by Anti-Treaty IRA forces at Glenamoy. ^[9] Following the arrival of National Army reinforcements, a lengthy gun battle broke out - described in some sources as the "Battle of Glenamoy". ^[10] In all, six pro-Treaty and ten anti-Treaty combatants are killed. ^{[11] [12] [13]}

Religion

The local Catholic church, St Paul's Church, is one of five churches within Kilcommon Erris parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killala. ^[14] Prior to the construction of this church, masses were held in the old school building nearby. ^{[14] [15]} The foundation stone for the church was laid in August 1935, ^[15] and it was completed in 1936. ^[16] One of the stained glass windows is attributed to Earley Studios Limited in Dublin. ^[16] The church was closed for restoration in 2020, ^{[17] [18] [19]} and subsequently re-opened to parishioners. ^[20]

Amenities and sport

The area is served by an An Post post office, ^[21] and adjoining petrol station. A health centre, with limited opening hours, is located nearby. ^[22] The Glenamoy (Gleann na Muaidhe) Garda station also has limited operating hours. ^{[23] [24]} As of 2023, the Glenamoy national (primary) school, Scoil Náisiúnta Gleann na Muaidhe, had just 4 pupils enrolled. ^[25]

The local Gaelic Athletic Association club, CLG Cill Chomáin, is based at Lenarevagh townland near Glenamoy. ^[26]

See also

• Barroosky, a neighbouring ED and townland within Kilcommon parish

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glenamoy.