Cortober
{{Short description|Village in County Roscommon, Ireland}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Cortober
|native_name = {{Native name|ga|Corr an Tobair|paren=omit}}
|settlement_type = Townland
|image_skyline = Carrick-on-Shannon - Cortober N4 and R368 Junction (Geograph 7990928 by Thomas Roberts).jpg
|image_caption = The junction of the N4 and R368 roads is in Cortober
|pushpin_map = Ireland
|pushpin_label_position = right
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ireland
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Ireland
|subdivision_type1 = Province
|subdivision_name1 = Connacht
|subdivision_type3 = County
|subdivision_name3 = County Roscommon
|unit_pref = Metric
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 =
|population_as_of = 2011
|population_footnotes = https://data.gov.ie/dataset/cd168-roscommon-population-by-private-households-occupied-and-vacancy-rate
|population_total = 465
|population_density_km2 = auto
|timezone1 = WET
|utc_offset1 = +0
|utc_offset1_DST = -1
|coordinates = {{coord|53.938|-8.101|dim:100000_region:IE|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m =
|blank_name = Irish Grid Reference
|blank_info = {{iem4ibx|M941997}}
|footnotes =
}}
Cortober ({{Irish place name|Corr an Tobair|round hill of the spring well}}){{cite web | url = https://www.logainm.ie/en/42879 | title = Corr an Tobair/Cortober | work = Placenames Database of Ireland | access-date = 10 September 2023}} is a village and townland in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located across the bridge from the town of Carrick-on-Shannon on the right bank of the River Shannon. It is bounded on the north by the parish of Tumna and River Shannon, on the east by the River Shannon, on the south by the townland of Cordrehead and Killukin and on the west by Mullaghmore. Although Cortober is its own separate village, it is usually grouped as part of Carrick-on-Shannon because it is almost adjacent.{{cite web | url=https://independent.ie/regionals/leitrim/news/major-development-planned-for-key-leitrim-town-and-neighbouring-roscommon-village/a1414955139.html | title=Major development planned for key Leitrim town and neighbouring Roscommon village | date=28 November 2023 }} The N4 passes through the northern part of Cortober. From it, the R368 branches off towards the southwest.
History
=Hollywell House=
A St. George Estate rental map for 1768 shows that Hollywell House in Cortober was then occupied by small cabins that surrounded the original 1623 fort of Liberty Hill, owned by Harris, Jones and King Families. Another rental of Charles Manners St. George Estate, dated 1842, gives a list of some early residents of Cortober townland, including Andersons, Armstrongs, Backhouses and Bournes.{{fact|date=May 2025}}
=Midland Great Western Railway=
The Midland Great Western Railway built the Carrick on Shannon railway station in the townland, which was opened on 3 December 1862.{{cite web | title=Carrick on Shannon station | work=Railscot – Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2016-09-02}}
=Rosary High School=
During the early 1940s, there was no secondary school in the immediate Carrick-on-Shannon area. A local educator, Kathleen Lynch, felt that there was a need for the establishment of a secondary school to cater boys of neighbouring districts of North Roscommon and South Leitrim.{{fact|date=May 2025}} On 8 September 1942, Kathleen Lynch (originally Mary Kathleen Mulhern of Drumlumman) opened the Rosary High School for boys at Cortober, on the Roscommon side of the bridge as well as South Leitrim. The opening was overseen by the Bishop of Elphin, Dr. Edward Doorly.{{fact|date=May 2025}}