Clogher
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  Clogher Location withinNorthern Ireland | |
| Population | 675 (2021 Census) |
| Irish grid reference | H538517 |
| • Belfast | 59 miles |
| District | |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CLOGHER |
| Postcode district | BT76 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| UK Parliament | |
| NI Assembly | |
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Clogher (fromIrishClochar, meaning 'stony place';[1]/ˈklɔː.ər/,[2]/ˈklɒ.hər/[3]) is a village andcivil parish in the border area of southCounty Tyrone,Northern Ireland. It lies on theRiver Blackwater, about 6 miles (10 km) from the border crossing to County Monaghan. It stands on thetownlands of Clogher Demesne and Clogher Tenements.[4] The2021 census recorded a population of 675.[5] The civil parish of Clogher covers areas ofCounty Fermanagh as well as County Tyrone.[6]
Clogher is home to the provincial office in Northern Ireland for the congregation of the Sisters of Mercy[7] (Roman Catholic order of nuns). From 1971-1991 The Mercy Order employed some of their nuns at St Macartan's Primary School following the leave of the order of saint louis as the school was actually founded by the Sisters of St Louis in the 1930s[8] due to the high demand for primary Catholic education in the Clogher area. The Sisters of Mercy also had ownership of the St Macartan's nursing and dementia care home until recent years where they decided to hand the nursing home over to the NHS.[9] The sisters of Saint Louis left Clogher in the 1970s and the Mercy Order continued their work. However, In the late 1980s the Sisters of Mercy were phased out of the school and retired from the job of teaching at St Macartan's School due to falling numbers of nuns and as a newer curriculum had been introduced in Northern Ireland it meant they needed more qualifications. They have since severed most ties with the St Macartan's Convent School[10] but still live in the Convent of Mercy on the Ballagh Road, Clogher, next to the St Macartan's nursing home.
The nameClochar refers to something made of stone ('cloch' is the Irish word for 'stone' and can be anglicised as 'cloch', 'clogh' or 'clough');[11] probably on the site of themedieval monastery or a nearbyringfort.[12] Archaeological remains from before the 5th century have been found in the vicinity.[12] Clogher is said to have been the location of a gold-coveredpaganoracle stone namedCermand Cestach.[13][14] The story goes that "Cloch-Ór (Golden Stone), may have been a ceremonial or oracle stone (seeCenn Cruaich andOmphalos) originally covered in goldsacred to thedruids...given toMac Cairthinn by an old pagan noble (Cairpre, the father of StTigernach of Clones), who had harassed him in every possible way until the saint's patient love won the local ruler to the faith."[14] The stone is recorded as being "a curiosity in the porch of the Cathedral of Clogher" in the time ofAnnalistCathal Maguire ofFermanagh in the late 15th century. Tighernach of Clones, later succeeded St. Mac Cairthinn as Bishop of Clogher.[15][16]
Clogher has been a religious center sinceSt. Patrick's time and likely before.[17] St. AedhMac Cairthinn of Clogher (c. 430–505 AD) an early disciple and companion of Saint Patrick[18] founded a monastery at the site, which later theSynod of Rathbreasail recognised as an episcopal see. TheCathedral Church of Saint Macartan in the village is now one of two cathedrals of theChurch of Ireland diocese of Clogher; the other is atEnniskillen. TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Clogher has its cathedral inMonaghan. The meetinghouse ofClogher Presbyterian church is outside the village in the townland of Carntall. The "City of Clogher" was arotten borough in theParliament of Ireland in the gift of the Protestant bishop. The village also gives its name to theBarony of Clogher, one of the original fourbaronies of County Tyrone.[19]
Clogher railway station (on the narrow gaugeClogher Valley Railway) opened on 2 May 1887, but finally closed on 1 January 1942.[20]
Clogher also hasUlsterbus services toOmagh and on the 261/X261 betweenBelfast andEnniskillen.
Clogher Cricket Club plays in theNCU Senior League. The localGaelic Athletic Association club isAn Clochar Éire Óg.
The local primary schools include Carntall Primary School (which has a Protestant ethos) and St. Macartan's Convent Primary School (established by the Sisters of Saint Louis and has a Roman Catholic ethos). In 1932, the sisters of saint louis were invited to Clogher by request of the Bishop to open a catholic primary school and convent. In the following years, Saint Macartans convent school was established for the catholic children of Clogher and by 1935 the school was very successful. The sisters of saint louis continued to work in saint macartans up until 1972 when the sisters decided to leave Clogher and move to a bigger convent in County Monaghan.Not long after, the sisters of mercy continued the work of the Louis nuns up until 1991 when the sisters of mercy handed the ownership of saint macartans convent school over to the local catholic parish of Clogher. Since then, the sisters live in the convent of mercy on the Ballagh road, Clogher. ).[7][10]
The population of the village decreased during the 19th century:[4][21]
| Year | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 702 | 558 | 389 | 242 | 225 | 273 |
| Houses | 109 | 94 | 79 | 51 | 61 | 59 |
On Census Day in 2021, the usual resident population of Clogher settlement was 781 accounting for 0.02% of the NI total. Of these:
On Census Day 2021, in Clogher settlement, of the population aged 3 and over,
On Census Day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Clogher Settlement was 717 accounting for 0.04% of the NI total.[23] Of these:
On Census Day 27 March 2011, in Clogher Settlement, of the population aged 3 years old and over:
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