Annyalla

Annyalla or Annayalla (Irish: Eanaigh Gheala, meaning 'bright marshes or pools')^[2] is a small village and townland situated in the east of County Monaghan in Ireland between Castleblayney and Clontibret. As of the 2022 census, Annyalla had a population of 205.^[1] The village is located within the historical barony of Cremorne.^[3]

Annyalla Eanaigh Gheala
Village
St Michaels Church
Annyalla Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 54.161°N 6.791°W / 54.161; -6.791
Country	Ireland
Province	Ulster
County	County Monaghan
Barony	Cremorne
Population  (2022)[1]	205

Geography

Monaghan GAA's training centre, at Cloghan, is approximately 1km from Annyalla

Annyalla townland is part of the civil parish of Clontibret.^[2] Originally located on the main N2 road from Dublin to Derry and Letterkenny, Annyalla was by-passed in 2007.^[4] The Monaghan Gaelic Athletic Association training and development centre is located in nearby Cloghan townland.^{[citation needed]}

History

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ring fort, lime kiln and megalithic monument sites in the townlands of Annayalla and Cloghan.^[5]

The main feature of the village is St Michael's Church, a Catholic place of worship built between 1922 and 1927.^[6] It was designed by the architect W.A. Scott and completed under the supervision of R.M. Butler of University College, Dublin (UCD).^[7][8] Annyalla's national school building, now disused, was opened in 1929.^[9]

During the War of Independence, the area was the scene of several events involving the local 2nd Monaghan Brigade 5th Northern Division IRA Battalion. For example, on 25 May 1921, a member of the Black and Tans was wounded in an ambush in which the IRA unit seized a number of weapons.^[10]

Annyalla was designated as a census town by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) for the first time in the 2016 census,^[11] at which time it had a population of 228 people.^[12] By 2022, it had a population of 205.^[1]