Gortaclogher (from Irish: Gort an Chlochair, meaning "The Small Field of the Stony Path") is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.
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Geography
Gortaclogher is bounded on the north by Gowlagh South, Cloncurkney and Corboy Glebe townlands, on the west by Boley and Killyran townlands, on the south by Killywillin townland and on the east by Killymoriarty and Ray, Templeport townlands. Its chief geographical features are Templeport Lough, Killywillin Lough, Gortaclogher Lough, the River Blackwater, County Cavan, a wood and dug wells.
Gortaclogher is traversed by minor roads,rural lanes and the disused Cavan and Leitrim Railway.
The townland covers 253 statute acres.
History
The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as Errenagh (from Irish: Airchinnech meaning "The Erenagh's Land").
The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Gortlogher.
William Petty's 1685 map depicts it as Gortlogher.
In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 29 April 1611, along with other lands, King James VI and I granted one poll of Errenagh to the McGovern Chief, Phelim Magawran, but it is probable that the lands had been in the possession of the McGovern clan for several hundred years before this and it was just a Surrender and regrant confirming the existing title to the McGoverns.
An Inquisition of King Charles I of England held in Cavan town on 4 October 1626 stated that the aforesaid Phelim Magawrane died on 20 January 1622 and his lands, including 1 poll in Errenagh, went to his son Brian who was aged 30 (born 1592) and married.
The McGovern lands in Gortaclogher were confiscated in the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 and were distributed as follows-
In the Hearth Money Rolls of 1662 there was one person paying the Hearth Tax in Gortaclogher- Castara O Dolan and Thomas McEtire
A grant dated 3 November 1666 was made by King Charles II of England to Sir Tristram Beresford, 1st Baronet which included, inter alia, the lands of Gatcloghir. By grant dated 11 September 1670 from King Charles II of England to said Sir Tristram Beresford, the said lands of Gatcloghir were included in the creation of a new Manor of Beresford.
The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list fourteen tithepayers in the townland.
Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists thirty four landholders in the townland.
In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are eleven families listed in the townland, and in the 1911 census of Ireland, there are only ten families listed in the townland.
Antiquities
The only structure of historical interest in the townland is the disused Cavan and Leitrim Railway