Townlands - 9/15 - Doughcloyne

Dúchluain - Black Meadow - 381 Acres
*1654-56 Tohir Meddow - " In Tld of Doughcloyne."

Doughcloyne - ( Data from Townlands.ie )

Historically , the Townland was in the possession of the De Cogan family possibly from the time of the Norman conquest in the 1170s. However in 1539 a branch of the Ronayne family purchased Doughcloyne where it remained until 1727 when it passed through marriage into the Sarsfield family who held it until 1947 when they sold all property and land to the S.M.A. The Sarsfields had three properties in Doughcloyne , all named after the Townland. All that remains of the first abode is a wall fronting onto the main road across from Chetwynd farmhouse. The second is the now Fellowship House , formally  Phillipine House which was built on the site of an earlier house dating back to 1640 and built by the Ronaynes. The third house is now the offices of Cork ARC Cancer Support services off Sarsfield Road. Other notable houses included Coventry House and Feirm Bawn. The Townland has lost some of its older residences over the last number of years including the original Phillipine House , Feirm Bawn ( replaced with a small estate with the same name ) and the Allen House. One interesting point to note from an historical perspective is the fork off Spur Hill known as Crossnacroha. This is an anglicisation of the original Irish name - Cros na Croiche - Cross of the Gallows. These gallows would possibly have been erected to hang insurgents during the Whiteboy disturbances of the late 1700s. The location is shared with the neighbouring Townland of Knocnamallavoge. Another famous location from the distant past was St. Bartholomew's Well. This was sited almost adjacent to the railway bridge but was capped when the Bandon line was being constructed. However a small streamlet is still evident which flows on towards the Liberty Stream. Three terraced cottages which fronted onto the main road near Feirm Bawn are reputed to date from Cromwellian times and were demolished in the modern era. The Townland also played host to a Forge which if legend has it , was visited by O'Neill during the Flight of the Earls. Doughcloyne also happens to have the last remaining original hand water pump which is situated outside the old Sexton House.

Sarsfield House 2022

Water pump as seen in 2017

Doughcloyne is the most elongated of all the Townlands tapering off to the south by Wilson's Lane at just under three miles. The Townland has thrown up two amazing legacies from the past ; in April 1993 , whilst work was underway of the Doughcloyne Roundabout , the remains of two Giant Irish Deer were found. These beasts roamed Togher 10,600 years ago feeding on grass and shrubs while fending off their only natural enemy wolves. When they died their bodies sank into the clay sediment of the land. This land in time became a lake and subsequently when the climate changed became a bog between 2000 B.C. and 1000 B.C. A Fulacht Fiadh was discovered near Phillipine House ( a.k.a. Fellowship House ) which was dated to 500 A.D. This proves human settlement in Togher of over 1500 years at the very least! One important point to note about Doughcloyne's North-Eastern boundary: Its northernmost  border followed the original course of the Liberty stream before it was diverted to run adjacent to the Togher Road. The Liberty stream would have originally flowed to the rear of the schools before forking left and right. The left course wound its way around the present day Westside Estate to join up with the Glasheen River with the right fork flowing under a stone bridge near the old school ( now Community Centre )

Feirm Bawn 1989

©Anne O'regan Fernandes

Addresses ( Modern Era )

Sandbrook
South Ring Road
Sarsfield Flyover & Roundabout
Sarsfield Road
Doughcloyne Industrial Estate
The Headlands
Richmond
Elmvale Court
Elmvale Close
Elmvale Avenue
Robinscourt
L'Arche
Spar Convenience Store
Westbury Court
Westbury Grove
Westbury Crescent
Sandown Crest
Centra Convenience Store
Dental Lodge
Lanes Cottage
Various Private Houses on Doughcloyne Hill
Clifton
Elm Park
J. O'Connor Funeral Home
Eagle Valley ( Upper Portion )
Brook Avenue
Forest Ridge Crescent
Forest Ridge
Fernwood Close
Fernwood
Feirm Bawn
Harley Court
Brentwood Court
White Oaks
White Oaks Mews
Westlawn
Sarsfield Heights ( Under Construction as of 2021 )
Togher Reservoir
Fellowship House
Various Private Residencies Towards Lios Cross ( Eastern Side )
Farmhouse & Farm


Addresses/Structures ( Historical Era )

Sarsfield Lodge ( now Dental Clinic )
Two Storey Pub ( now Lanes Cottage )
The Forge ( Demolished 1968 )
Coventry House
Allen House
Feirm Bawn
Cottages ( in front of Feirm Bawn )
Phillipine House
Doughcloyne House ( only wall fronting onto road remaining )
Upper Doughcloyne House ( now ARC Cancer Centre )
Lios Cross a.k.a. Crossnacroha
St Bartholomew's  Well
Doughcloyne Railway Bridge ( Still in existence )
Ben Deebles Lane ( renamed Wilson's Lane )
Sexton's House ( recently demolished )
Water Pump ( Only one remaining )

Boundary

Beginning at a point near the Glasheen River to the rear of St. Finbarrs H&F Club grounds and following an arc in a southwesterly direction across the South Ring Road and halfway around the rear of Westside Estate and then moving in a straight line to the rear of the schools, church , O'Connell Court and Centra before turning directly back to Togher Cross and following the Liberty Stream all the way up to a point where it diverges its border in an irregular pattern before finally meeting up with Wilson's Lane from where it turns back northwards to Lios Cross moving down Spur Hill before turning cross country to the rear of Togher Reservoir bisecting Eagle Valley and shaving the Doughcloyne Industrial Estate before meeting up with the Glasheen River and back to the point started from.