Menlo, Castlegar Galway

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  • Menlo is the name of a Village, and Townland in the Parish of  Castlegar Galway.
    • Generally distinguished from Menlough, in East Galway, by its modern and shortened name - Menlo, though the official name is the long-form version.
    • Irish name form - Mionloch
  • Population
  • Have Google Earth? Download a KMZ.   See Old Maps.
  • General Coordinates -  53.300566 ,   -9.071756 of the Village.
    • Elevation -  10 metres.
  • The Famous Menlo Castle is in this place.
  • See Menlo Graveyard.
    • An Ancient Dolmen / Portal Tomb is here and may have been another Burial Site. Coordinates -  53.310233 , -9.07076
    • Open a Dynamic Map of this Structure (new window)
    • Nearest Road is Quarry Road. Open Google Street view (new window).
  • Menlo Pier, is built here,
    •  53.301127,   -9.077156.  Download a KMZ for this location. 
  • on the South bank of the Lough Corrib, and this Townland is East of the River Corrib.
  • Menlo National School, provides some of the Primary Education.
  • The famous Writer and Novelist, Walter Macken, lived here for some time after building a house in the Village around 1966. This house is still there.
  • A Monument lies to the South East, and the road there is called Monument Road because of it.
  • An Ancient Limestone Stone Pillar is at coordinates of 53.301571 , -9.073476 . Street View , Aerial Map.
  • Menlo Park, California connection
  • Sporting History.
  • The Natives have set up a Facebook Page - See "I Luv Menlo" (new window).

Population.

Population in the past

  • 1841 - 1100 people.
  • 1851  -  dwindled to 764
  • 1861   - a humbler,  682
  • 1901   -
  • 1911   -  57 Homes with occupants  -  295 Individuals.  [ after removing numerous duplicates, and including "Urban"]
  • 2016 -   Small Area Sa2017_068010017  -  244.   068010016 - 222. Total - 466
  • See the Names of Household Heads, in the Tithe Applotment Book for Menlo 1823 - 1837 (new window).

 Townland.

Townland
Menlo Townland, Click to enlarge

 California

2016. Galway  is set to be officially Twinned with Menlo Park, California - when Local Man and Galway Mayor, Mr. Frank Fahy officiates a Ceremony with the Mayor of Menlo Park.  A Plaque is to be unveiled at Menlo Pier on the 19th of May, 2016, to mark the affair.

Station
Railway Station, California

It is believed that two Men by the Surnames of Mc Glynn and Oliver, were from this Townland. After they emigrated to America, they are said to be instrumental in establishing the now City of Menlo there - sometime in the 1850's.

Sport 

  •  The Emmetts Rowing Club were from this area, and are commemorated by a Plaque at the Pier.
  • Being from Castlegar Parish, natives played / still play Hurling with that Club of course.
  • Menlo had a more local Club which ran alongside, called Menlo Emmetts after both the area and the name associated with earlier Rowing success.  Some of Players were not local , but worked around the general Galway area. Others came from adjoining Townlands - mainly from the North of the Parish, though. See this Club on Youtube, from 1986 - you will probably recognise a few?

 

  • You can still see a traditional Irish Cottage (below), which is well kept.
  • Coolough Village, is due South, as is the Church of Saint Peter and Paul. Another Church existed here, but in a private house.
  • A Shop - Maloneys, used to serve the community.
  • This is a Limestone region, but also had bogs.
  • About three miles from Galway City.
  • Coordinates; 53.302376° , -9.072407°
  • Elevation; About 40 feet, but rises to the East towards the adjoining Townland of;Killoughter.
  • As the Lake and River were important components of the transport system of the time, Menlo was well known. Traders, Farmers and visitors would pass here from places like the famous Annaghdown.
  • 03 September 2010 - The Bogs to the West of Menlo Village caught fire and continued to the next day.

 

 

  

Maps

  • Dynamic Map of Menlo Village with Flash Earth (new window)
  • Download a KMZ of Menlo. 
    Map Menlo
    Menlo Map 1840
    Menlo Map 1840

 

1840 Map showing the density of buildings.

Copyright info. and more Free maps online at http://www.galway.ie/en/Services/Library/1842OSMaps/

 

Mythology

A "Real Account" suggests that "In the primitive village of Menlo, standing at the entrance to Menlo Castle, Firbolg blood is strong" - See http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/history/chapter321.html for the detail on that.

Other Reading

  • http://www.from-ireland.net/baptism-records-castlegar-galway-1827/ ? - 1827