Clough

File:Clough (04), October 2009.JPG

Clough ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|l|ɒ|x}} {{respell|KLOKH|'}};{{Cite LPD|3}} {{Irish derived place name|an Chloch|the stone}}) is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits about 3 miles from Dundrum on the A2 between Newcastle and Belfast. The A2 continues via Downpatrick and the coast via Strangford and the Portaferry – Strangford Ferry to Portaferry to Belfast, whilst most road traffic heads along from Clough along the A24 via Carryduff to Belfast. It had a population of 255 people in the 2001 census. Clough is situated within the Newry, Mourne and Down area.

Places of interest

File:Clough Castle - geograph.org.uk - 3424978.jpg

Clough Castle, an excellent example of an Anglo-Norman motte-and-bailey castle with stone tower.

Etymology

A map of 1634 marked the village as Machaeracate and the castle is {{lang|ga|Cloch Mhachaire Cat}} "Stone castle of the plain of the cat". This comes from a local legend of the chase of magic cat.{{cite journal |last1=Muhr |first1=Kay |title=An Elizabethan map of north-east Down |journal=Lecale Review |date=2005 |volume=3 |page=11}}

References

External links

[http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/ NI Neighbourhood Information Service]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155428/http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/town_Home.aspx?co=7&to=135&ca=0&sca=0&navID=1 Culture Northern Ireland]

Category:Villages in County Down

Category:Townlands of County Down

Category:Civil parish of Loughinisland