In The Calm Of Middle Country

A Memory of Cloughjordan.

The title is taken from a Cloughjordan native and Irish patriot Thomas MacDonagh. Cloughjordan is quiet village located between the towns of Nenagh, Roscrea and Birr. A village that was borne from a Medieval Castle which still stands and is occupied. It is now a wedding venue Cloughjordan House. The village developed as a garrison town on the 1700. The castle is an old Irish Family castle occupied in the 1500 by the O'Carrolls.
Once a vibrant market town due to its location and in 1855 was chosen a location for a railway station. This gave it a real role and was used as a transportation point for cattle and other goods. With the railway came prosperity to the village with hotels and businesses springing up. The village boasts of being one of the first places to have electrification supplied by its own generating station. This gave businesses a head start against competitors in other villages.
Religion was a hot topic in Cloughjordan as it had an unusually high number of protestant faiths with the locallaity been split 60% Catholic and 40 % Protestant, Methodist and Quaker or dippers as they were know locally. The village boasts of 3 fine Churches with each having their own attractive features. The Catholic Church of S'S MICHAEL and John has one of the finest Stain Glass exhibitions in Ireland with the Main window and 2 side alters being designed and made by the genius Harry Clarke in the 1920s. Another famous stained glass artist has a beautiful pair of contemporary style windows is Evie Hone. The art of stained glass is worth a visit.