Ancient Pilgrim Route – Clogher to Clones

Clogher Community Village Forum and Clones Forum were inspired to explore the possibility of an ancient pilgrim route between Clogher and CLONES ollowing a Blog by Barney Devine. The route was shown on a 1693 map.

In his Blog Barney, a former Field Monument Warden for a government department and active in community-led archaeology and heritage,  described discovering a roughly hewn stone cross near Dernawilt crossroads. ‘Simply carved with short arms, and standing about 1.2 metres high … Defying gravity, it leaned at a jaunty 45 degrees over a steep overgrown bank and an abandoned laneway, which fell away on both sides through heavy undergrowth and overarching trees. The official record suggested it was Early Christian and may have been a way-marker on a route from Clones across Sliabh Beagh’.

Researched Map Clogher – Clones Route with 14 way markers

Interactive Map – Click to view the 14 way markers

Members of Clogher and Clones Forum with landowners at Drumbroughas Cross. Photo Heather McLaughlin

Barney also visited ‘an Early Christian and Medieval ecclesiastical site at Glennoo near Mullaghfad, six miles north of Drumbroughas Cross…. with remnants of a church, graveyard, children’s burial ground and bullaun stone’ It is understood this site was consecrated by St Tigernach of Clones.

Barney believed the official notes hinted it may have been located on a routeway.

‘On the ridgeline of a nearby hill to the north was a field-centred Bronze Age Standing Stone, its ancient bowl-shaped hollows partially hidden by the embrace of a lone hawthorn tree’.

This could be another way marker on a route linking Clones to Clogher. ‘As Clogher provided hostel accommodation for Lough Derg pilgrims I fancied that the route might also be a feeder to a wider network’

A few months later Barney came across a 1693 map showing an outline route between Clones and Clogher. ‘A Medieval occupation site had recently been uncovered during an archaeological dig on the laneway below the Cross at Aghadrumsee GAA pitch

Laneways, minor roads, forest trails and old settlements hinted at a possible route between Clones and Clogher.

A bog road beyond the Bronze Age Standing Stone and hawthorn tree Barney had visited previously, led up onto the gently rising slopes of Glennoo and Fardross Mountains beneath the western flanks of Sliabh Beagh, before dropping down in a straight line to Clogher.

Sliabh Beagh. Photo heather McLaughlin