Lumcloon of the Flatterys
Lomcluna na Flaitire

STUDY CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

A NOTE ON SOURCES

CONCLUSION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Without the scholarly research by Brian Mac Cuarta SJ on the extraordinary career of Sir Matthew De Renzy in Ireland this study would not have been possible. The list of his writings below underlines the depth and extent of his knowledge of this subject. While historians at large are greatly indebted to him students of the plantations in the early seventeenth century midlands that derive most benefit from his work. This is particularly so at this time when the 400th anniversary of this era is remembered.

We are greatly indebted to Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich of Logainm.ie for his learned opinions on the etymology and genealogy of Lomchluain Uí Fhlaitire and other local placenames. Our thanks also to The National Archives in London where the De Rensi Manuscripts have been housed since the 1850s.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The images reproduced here are done so with their permission. The staff of Offaly History and Offaly Heritage office have been most supportive. The courtesy and co-operation of the directors and staff of the National Library of Ireland, the National Archives of Ireland, the British Library and the National Archives in Kew are also much appreciated.

This map shows the ancient townlands of part of West Offaly in their present day configuration. Townland names are mostly of Gaelic origin and relate to a topographical feature . The size and shape of townlands was decided by the Ordnance Survey in the 1830s in consultation with local landowners, clergymen and antiquarians. The townlands of Park and Lumcloon which are central to this study are shaded.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

This presentation establishes the existence of two places in West Offaly known as Lumcloon. One of these which lies a few miles east of Cloghan is familiar and is the modern townland of that name. The other Lumcloon as in Lomcluna na Flaitire, which included several townlands between Banagher and Cloghan, has a rich and well documented history that has been lost in time.

The Irish version Lomcluna na Flaitire is used throughout this essay as it appears in the De Rensi manuscripts. Another version Lomchluain Ui Fhlaitile also appears in sources. Doctor Conchabhar Ó Cruaolich placenames officer elaborates on this variation as follow: Lomchluain is attested as Lomchluain Uí Fhlaitile in standard Modern Irish in the middle of the 16th century. It has been anglicised as Flattery, due to dissimilation of the second /l/ to /r/ under influence of the first /l/, and that name is still found in the area. Indeed, early anglicised examples of Ó Flaitile such as ‘O’Fflatrye’ (see logainm.ie) suggest that this had occurred in the Irish form of the name. Dissimilation occurs relatively frequently in Irish, English and other languages.

SOURCES