Annaclone

Annaclone (from Irish Eanach Luain, meaning 'marsh of the haunch-like hill') is a village and civil parish between Rathfriland and Banbridge in south County Down, Northern Ireland, about 7 km south-east of Banbridge. The village is situated in the townlands of Ardbrin and Tullintanvally and both it and the civil parish are located in the historic barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half.^[1] It had a population of 190 people (85 households) in the 2021 census.^{[citation needed]}

Annaclone Irish: Eanach Luain
Location within County Down
Population	190 (2021 census)
County	County Down
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Banbridge
Postcode district	BT32
Police	Northern Ireland
Fire	Northern Ireland
Ambulance	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	South Down
List of places UK Northern Ireland Down 54.3008°N 6.1958°W / 54.3008; -6.1958

St Colman's Church, Annaclone, in 2007

The geography of Annaclone is typical of much of the area around the Mourne Mountains with rolling drumlins and farmland. Nearby Corbet Lough is visited by anglers while the highest point of the parish, locally known as 'the Knock', has views of the Mourne Mountains towards the south and Slieve Croob towards the north east.^{[citation needed]}

History

Several Celtic artefacts were found in a marsh in the Ardbrin area of Annaclone. These finds included a horn known as the 'Ardbrin Horn' which now resides in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin. Historically, the area belonged to the Magennis clan. The remains of their castle are situated in nearby Rathfriland.^{[citation needed]}

Sport

The local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, Annaclone GAC, was founded in 1897.^{[citation needed]}

Annaclone has previously played host to a stage of the Circuit of Ireland Rally as well as other cycling events throughout the year.^{[citation needed]}

People

• Patrick Brontë, father of Charlotte Brontë and Emily Brontë, was born in the parish in 1777 and also taught in a school in the parish.^[2] As a result, the area of southern Annaclone is known as 'The Brontë Homeland'. Although Patrick Brontë's house is now in ruins, the nearby Brontë Interpretative Centre maintains the link between the family and the area.
• Catherine O'Hare, the first European woman to cross the Canadian Rockies (with her husband Mr. Schubert, and two small children, en route to the Fraser Valley gold rush), was born around 1835 in the townland of Ballybrick in Annaclone.^[3]

Civil parish of Annaclone

The civil parish of Annaclone includes the village of Annaclone. Townlands within the civil parish include:

• Ardbrin
• Aughnacloy
• Ballynafern
• Ballynafoy
• Ballynagross
• Ballynanny
• Ballysheil
• Cappagh
• Clay
• Derrylough
• Lisnasliggan
• Tullintanvally

See also

• List of towns and villages in Northern Ireland
• List of civil parishes of County Down