Know your Townland – Cullenagh/Cuileannach

The Newline Road through Cullenagh

The Newline Road was constructed in the late 1840s as a famine-era public works project to connect the village with the Tee-junction at Cutteen. Absent in 1842 but present by 1890, it was part of a broader infrastructure effort that included roads to Ennis, Kilmurry, Clarecastle to Lissane and Clarecastle via Noughaval/Doora.

Key Historical Details
· Construction: Likely built as famine relief in the late 1840s. John Singleton mentions in his diary an intention to identify suitable projects in Quin to relief the distress of locals. The Government provided very little money for these relief projects so most of the money had to be raised locally and was levied on the large land owners such as John Singleton and Tom Steele. Another such road from Finanagh to Clarecastle was built to facilitate the transport of materials from the mines in Ballyhickey and Kilbreckan.
· Original Scope: Extended from the village to the Tee-junction at Cutteen.
· Intended Path: Plans appeared to connect it to the entrance of Tom Steele’s demesne at Cullaun (Lough O’Connell), potentially linking Dangan to Quin.
Impact on Area: Prior to its construction, Danganbrack and Cullenagh were largely undeveloped and sparsely populated. Cullenagh remained sparsely populated following the construction of the road as emigration continued to decimate rural parts of the country.