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The Parish

Welcome to Clonguish Parish.Parish emblem

Clonguish is a parish consisting of almost fifty townlands - Clonguish means Meadow of the Swans. The focal point of the village of Newtownforbes is St Mary's Church, although not the site of the original which is enclosed within the grounds of Castleforbes since 1614. Parishioners have been attending daily Mass at the present church since 1864.

Originally built in the gothic style the church was modernised in later years, most recently in 2009.

Newtownforbes

An Lios Breac, 'The Speckled Fort', is the old Gaelic name for the village. It possibly derives from a large ring fort that once existed at the northern end of the village. The name 'Newtownforbes' came into use c.1750 and reflects its close links with the Forbes family.

The lies in Clonguish ('Cluain Geis') Parish - meaning the 'Meadow of the Swans'. This name is linked to St. Ailither who is said to have founded an early Christian church on the banks of the River Shannon. While historically and geographically in the shadow of Castle Forbes, the village cannot be described as an estate village. However the road running through it was unusually wide for such a small settlement - population 759 in 2011.

The current Parish Priest is Fr. Ciaran McGovern.