The web site covers Cloonloo and surrounding townlands and part of Lough Gara. It is a rural area where the main occupation is small part time farming, there are few full time farmers many of the residents work in local towns, such as Gurteen, Sligo, Boyle, and Carrick-on-Shannon which are all within easy driving distance. It is an area which has suffered greatly from emigration over the years and is sparkly populated. In recent times there has been a large number of new houses built unfortunately many are vacant most of the time as their occupiers work to pay large mortgages.

History

The Cloonloo area is full of history. Lough Gara and surroundings have been populated for thousands of years. Lough Garas links with ancient times was revealed in the 1950’s when, during drainage of the lake by the Board of Works, approximately 350 crannog sites were discovered and many implements used by the crannog dwellers were found lying on the lake shore and in the crannogs which were excavated. These finds are in the National Museum in Dublin it is a great shame that none of these are displayed locally. 

In ancient times the general area was known as Slieve Lucra. It was the territory of the O’Gara Clan whose main castle can still be seen in ruins on the lakes north western shore at Moygara. The O’Garas had two other castles in the area, one on Derrymore Island, Lough Gara and the other near Cuppanagh Bridge, little remain of the latter two castles but Moygara Castle is still a very substantial ruin. In recent years much research has been undertaken on Moygara castle it may be found on their web site moygaracastle.com.

Templeronan Cemetery is situated on the shore of Lough Gara in the townland of Cuppanagh. It is an ancient Cemetery containing the ruins of the Abbey of St. Ronan little of which now remains. A number of years ago Cloonloo Development 2000 Limited erected a plaque there giving a history of the cemetery and indicating the location of all the marked graves in the cemetery. This plaque has proven to be of great help to visitors.

On the eastern side of Cloonloo just across the border in Co. Roscommon stands the portal dolmen of Drumanone locally known as the Druids Altar. this is a fine example of a portal dolman and is easily accessible.

On the northern side of the area on the high ground of Derryknockeran (Derrinoghran), we have over the past number of years developed a viewing point called “Wynnes View”, from where much of the area can be easily seen.

To the West are the Bricklieve hills on the summit of which are a number of Megalithic tombs dating from approximately 3000 B.C.

In the middle of this historic area is Cloonloo Church and Community Centre.

Near Lough Gara in the townland of Cuppanagh is St. Patricks Rock which bears the imprint of the Saints knee.

Cloonloo Development 2000 Ltd was formed in 1999 when Cloonloo Development Association disbanded. Some of our members were involved in that group which had been in operation for approximately 15 years. At present we have eight members. Others from the community get involved when we are running events. We are a limited company, Co.Reg. No. 331629 and we obtained charitable status in early 2013.

The objectives of our group are to improve and develop our area and so make it a better place for residents and tourists. We plan to do this by improving our environment and creating employment. Since our formation in 1999 we have successfully ran card drives, raffles and bazzars. Our float won the overall prize in the 2000 St. Patricks Day parade in Gurteen. We successfully ran a telethon event in Cloonloo in aid of “People in Need”. We sponsored two successful FAS schemes employing in all 20 people. We presently have two people employed on the Rural Social Scheme.

 Since our formation we have achieved the following:-

Official opening of “Wynnes View” viewing point in Derryknockeran and extension of facilities there.

Installed double glazed widows, central heating and a new kitchen in Cloonoo Hall.

Built a Millinnium Arch to mark the year 2000 A.D. in Templeronan cemetery using local stone.

Fundraised for the Electronic Bell in Cloonloo Church and have been instrumental in the installation of same.

At the Lake shore in Cuppanagh we have improved facilities by constructing a slipway, improving car parking and landscaping the area along the road.

We are now hosting a Rural Social Scheme which employs two people.

We are in the process of erecting a memorial to Fr. Tomas O’Ceallaigh in the church grounds in Cloonloo.

We have built a childrens playground in Cloonloo which will be opened shortly.