Clogherhead
Several derivative forms of the word 'cloch'. Most common is 'clochar' which is generally applied to stoney land - a place abounding in stones, or having a stoney surface; but it occasionally means a rock. Its most Anglicised form is Clogher which is the name of a village and a remarkable headland in County Louth (Joyce 4b)
Source: Clogherhead through the Years, James Garry 2000


John Kirk Park
John Kirk, Harbour Road, was a life long member of Fianna Fail and was first elected to the County Council in 1974, where he most diligently served his people especially in need for more housing in the village. He was also a member of Drogheda Harbour Board. It was fitting that a new housing estate in 1988 be called after him.
Source: Clogherhead through the Years, James Garry 2000

Kirwan - Family Name History
The Irish surname 'Kirwan' is an anglicisation of the Gaelic name "O'Ciardhubhain" which in turn is dervied from the Irish words "ciar dubh" meaning "black". The Kirwans are best known as one of the "Tribes of Galway" and they are second only to the Lynches as a leading family of that city. Like the Darcys and unlike the other twelve "tribes", they are of Gaelic origin. They in fact originated in County Louth where they were erenaghs (hereditary heads of the local church establishment), and they were not connected with Galway until the fifteenth centuary. In the survey of Birth Indexes for Ireland, recorded in 1890, there are forty two instances of the surname listed. It was not until they went to Galway that they made their mark on Irish history, and since that time there have been many Kirwans of note.
The most Reverend Francis Kirwan (1589-1661), the Bishop of Killala, was a prominent nationalist and he was driven into exile and ended his days in France. A generation later, John Kirwan is noteworthy as the only Catholic Mayor of Galway between 1564 and 1829. An Irish family of Kirwan established itself in Dauphiny and was ranked among the nobility of France. A final Kirwan who should be mentioned is Owen Kirwan, another nationalist, who was hanged with Robert Emmet in 1803.
Blazon of Arms: Argent a chevron sablebetween three Cornish Choughs proper.
Translation: The chevron, or inverted V-shaped band, signifies Protection, and was often granted as a reward for a deed of Faithful Service. The Cornish Chough is called the King of the crows. It is a bearing of great antiquity and is symbolic of the man of stategems which are to the disadvantage of his enemies.
Crest: A Cornish Chough proper.
Motto: Mon dieu, mon roi, et ma patrie.
Translation: My God, my king and my Country.
Sourse: The Historical Research Centre - Family Name history. 

McCooey Terrace Fr. McCooey Terrace
Fr. James G.McCooey was born in Dundalk in 1894. He was ordained in St.Patrick's College, Armagh in 1919. Having served in Tullyallen, Mullaghbawn and Carrickmore, Co.Tyrone, he was appointed to Clogherhead in 1927. He was curate for 24 years and in 1952 became Parish Priest in succession to Fr.Anthony McDonnell. He was Secretary to the Lifeboat Branch for several years and often went to sea with the crew under John 'Wilson' Tallon the Coxwain. Parish Priest for only 18 months he died at his home 1st November 1953 aged 59 years. He is burried in Mayne.
Sourse: Clogherhead through the Years, James Garry 2000

O'Donnell Park Fr.O'Donnell Park
Called after Fr. Noel O'Donnell, C.C. in Clogherhead 1964-1970. Fr. Noel was born in Maghery, Co. Antrim on the shores of Lough Neagh. He was educated in St.Patrick's College, Armagh and St.Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he was ordained on 21st June 1953 for the Diocese of Armagh. He volunteered to serve with the Kilteegan Fathers in Nigeria from 1953 to 1958. Indifferent health forced him to return to Ireland and the Diocese of Armagh. He served as assistant curate in Clonoe 1959, Killeshil 1059-1960, Kildress 1960-1964, and in 1964 he was appointed curate to the parish of Clogherhead.
He immediately involved himself in the workings of the Parish. His experience of running bingo in Kildress was brought into play and very soon he had a session going in Clogherhead. The Credit Union movement was begining to take root in Ireland and branches had already been started in the neighbouring parishes. Fr. Noel quickly evaluated the advantages of this new movement and set about a study group. He contacted Muinter na Tire who set the wheels in motion. A special meeting of the study group took place in Callystown National School on Sunday 29th April 1968 and Clogherhead Credit Union was on its way.
Bingo in the Ashling was his delight and he attended every session. In fact it was at one such session, on 6th December 1970, that he suffered a heart attack and died in our Lady of Lourded Hospital in Drogheda that evening. His sudden death caused deep sorrow in the Parish where he was a firm favourite with the clergy and people.
Source: Clogherhead through the Years, James Garry 2000

Oriel ... Lord Oriel ... Mount Oriel ... Port Oriel
In setting up the Diocese of Armagh, in the aftermath of the Norman invasion, half of its territory had been permanently occupied by the new settlers from England, and town life had been developed in the modern county of Louth, very much on the English model. From the 13th centuary onwards, the diocese was rcognised as being divided into two almost balanced parts.
The northern territory, where O'Neill still ruled unchallenged, Irish customs and Irish speech prevailed. This corresponded with the modern county of Armagh, the south eastern portion of the county of Tyrone, and a small portion of Co. Derry.
The southern section of the diocese, corresponding roughly with the modern county of Louth. Here English customs and English speech prevailed at least in Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee.
The Irish name, Oirghialla, (Oriel or Uriel in the English documents), was used for this territory, but it should be remembered that the former kingdom of Oirghialla had been very much more extensive than the modern county of Louth.

 In 1750, Anthony Foster found himself the owner of what was little better than a wilderness in the south western corner of Co. Louth, at Collon, which extended to about 5000 acres. This, he succeeded to reclaiming, digging drains, liming the land, planting the quicks and forest trees and larger plantations. Arthur Young (A Tour of Ireland 1776) remarked that the landlord had "made a barren winderness smile with cultivation, planted it with people and made them happy".
Anthony's son, John was M.P. for Louth from 1768 - 1821. He was Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer, and the last speaker of the Irish House of Commons, in College Green, Dublin. (now Bank of Ireland). Foster Place beside it is called after him. He was also created a Peer of the United Kingdom with the title Lord Oriel of Ferrard, County Louth (1st Lord Oriel). Incidentally, the hill (810 ft) on the Foster estate at Collon is called Mount Oriel.
His decendant, the 3rd Lord Oriel was M.P. for Louth during the building of Clogherhead Pier, and one of the strongest supporters of the scheme. Hence the name Port Oriel.
Source: Clogherhead through the Years, James Garry 2000.

St.Dennis' Well
A lane in the northern part of Clogherhead village leads to a gate which opens into a deserted farmstead and then continues along an old boreen north to the old harbour in the Fethis.
This harbour is shaped like a deep horseshoe. Stones, polished smooth by the sea, are set into the pale sand like rounded animal shapes. A huge bolder near the waters edge has curved sides, a cleft in the middle, and a water filled depression on one side.
'Saint Dennis' Gale, which occurs about the time of the saint's feastday, is an east wind that brings herring into the sea around Clogherhead. According to the legend, this wind blew the big stone with the body of the dead saint into the harbour.
The feastday of St.Dennis is on 29th September or 9th October. In times past there was an extended pattern which might have incorporated both dates; it is possible that other saints also were venerated at this Well. On the last day of the pattern, knows as 'Sheela's Monday', the 'Mayor' of the area was paraded in ridiculous guise to the well where he was immersed. This custom came to an abrupt end when the last incumbent candidate nearly drowned.
St. Dennis' Well is set into a bush-covered slope that rises up from the sea. The Well is a tall rectangular structure and only contains water in winter. The large slab covering the Well has initials and crosses carefully carved on the hard stone.
In the last century a sailor who lost a leg in an accident at sea is said to have it re-attached after making a pattern at the Well.
The view from the old harbour across Dundalk Bay to the Cooley Mountains is splendid, an ideal place for solitude or good conversation.

A dark space beside the old harbour drew me in
to discover hart's tongue deep-green
and shell-gifts thumbed between flat stones
More alive here, in this peaceful cove ...
I saw more than my reflection in the water
Across ditch and soddon field I went -
the Well by the sea like the shell in me.

Source: 'Stone and Tree Sheltering Water'. An Exploration of Sacred and Secular Wells in County Louth by Anne-Marie Moroney and susan Connolly. Flax Mill Publications, Drogheda 1998