placenamesMagheraveely
Machaire Mhílic
A football club’s move to Clones illustrates changing border life, while a military burial links the locality with a much earlier overseas career.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Machaire Mhílic · Irish · main form · validated name
- Magheraveely · English · main form
Place & story
A home ground across the border
In a 2023 report, RTÉ followed Magheraveely Football Club training at the Peace Link campus in Clones, County Monaghan. The Fermanagh club played in Northern Ireland’s leagues but had secured approval to stage home matches across the border. Its secretary, Rodney McVitty, described support from political representatives, churches, local residents and the Football Association of Ireland before the case went to the Irish Football Association. [2]
Roads reopened and a new meeting place
McVitty recalled that damaged and closed roads had once prevented ordinary journeys between Magheraveely and nearby Clones. After the Good Friday Agreement, reopened routes made Clones part of the community’s accessible hinterland again. The Peace Link received €8.3 million through the cross-border Peace III programme. The club’s experience shows how restored connections and a shared sports facility could change daily life beyond the border crossing itself. [2]
Charles Irwin’s burial
The Victoria Cross and George Cross Association records Charles Irwin’s burial at Saint Mark’s churchyard in the Magheraveely area. Born in Manorhamilton in 1824, he enlisted at Sligo in 1842 and later received the Victoria Cross for action at Lucknow in 1857. His burial gives the locality a connection with an overseas military career; it does not make Magheraveely his birthplace. [3]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Magheraveely. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- The Peace Link: Reconciliation through sport,29 March 2023 · Laura Hogan / RTÉ News
- Charles Irwin VC: biographical profile 1079 · Victoria Cross and George Cross Association
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2010-04-19. How this page was prepared.