Burnt Out at Lusmagh

This year Mayo stole the headlines by escaping the ‘curse’ that prevented them winning the All Ireland Football Championship for 75 years despite having some very good teams.

However they were not the first in Ireland to be ‘cursed’ to sporting disappointment.

In the early 600s the pioneering St Cronan of Roscrea and a group of followers came by river to boggy Lusmagh in Offaly. There was no one around where they landed so they tied up their boat and went searching.  Some local people came across the boat and suspected the worst. Unannounced intruders were usually robbers. They chopped up Cronan's boat and used it for firewood.

When Cronan returned for the boat he was outraged. He cursed the people of Lusmagh and said they would never again win a hurling championship.

That ‘curse’ did not relent until 1989 when they won their one and only senior county title by one point.

However the Lusmagh people did not take it personally. Originally the parish was named Cill Mochonna (the Church of Mochonna) in honour of a little known saint but today the local church and school are happy to have Cronan as their patron.

Cronan must have stayed for a\ whle in Lusmagh. It is said he was a cousin of Mochonna and there are stories of ‘holy men’ visiting him there. A connection with the historic ‘Book of Dimma’ (now in Trinity College) is also claimed. Under Cronan’s direction it said to have been completed in 40 days, non-stop.

I spent some time at Lusmagh crossroads waiting to see if someone would appear who could guide me to traces of Mochonna or Cronan. When no one came I finally left my car there and set off in the direction of Cloghan Castle, said to stand on the original site of Mochonna’s foundation. I hoped no one would set the car alight in my absence as had happened to Cronan.

It was not far to the entrance of the Castle but the gates were firmly locked. Tall trees and a long driveway blocked sight of any building. Normans built the castle in 1203 and it is said to still be in good shape though not occupied.

I went on to nearby Kilmochonna  (Cell of Mochonna) which despite its promising name is a functioning graveyard with the ruins of a church. There was no information board.  

I left Lusmagh happy that my car had not been set alight in my absence and wishing them success in the Championship.

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