Lusmagh Fields so Green


Click on the picture to hear Johnny McEvoy sing "The Lusmagh Fields so Green."

Christianising Lusmagh

In Christian times, the parish was named Cill Mochonna (the Church of Mochonna), after Saint Mochonna. Little is known about this saint, but a lot of local lore exists about another saint, viz., Saint Crónán, who founded a monastery in the parish that survived for many centuries (and several other monasteries elsewhere).
One of the townlands of Lusmagh is called Kilmochonna. It contains a ruin of an old church and a graveyard still in use.

Ballymacoolaghan people burn St Cronan's boat
St Cronan came to  Lusmagh via the River Shannon.

He landed at Ballymacoolaghan and walked away looking for people to convert.

Some local people found his boat. In those days intruders would normally be robbers or pirates, so locals had no welcome for un-announced strangers. They chopped up St Cronan's boat and used it for firewood.

St. Cronan was so outraged, he cursed the Lusmagh people, proclaiming that they would never again win a hurling championship.

Lusmagh name restored
Despite officially being known as Cill Mochonna, the ancient name "Lusmagh"  persisted, and was officially restored as the parish name around 1810.
The present R.C. parish church is named after St. Crónán.

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