placenamesCoolock
An Chúlóg
Archaeology beneath Coolock and surviving church fabric reveal different periods of local life, including a resident’s connection with stained glass.
The name
A reliable full-name meaning has not been established here. The recorded Irish and English forms are given without an unsupported translation.
Recorded forms
- An Chúlóg · Irish · main form · validated name
- Coolock · English · main form
Place & story
An enclosure beneath later Coolock
Excavations at Tonlegee Road in 2017–18 identified a curving ditch north and west of Saint John the Evangelist's church grounds. Archaeologist Dominic Delany interpreted it as part of an oval enclosure around an early Christian foundation. Animal bones included butchery and kitchen waste, alongside shells of cockles, mussels and winkles. The findings reveal activity beyond a church building itself and helped reconstruct the older site's extent. [2]
The old church’s new use
The former Saint Brendan's Church on Main Street is now a parish centre. Its nineteenth-century form survives in its transepts, rose window and cross-topped gables. The parish records the dedication of the replacement church in July 1974 after local fundraising that included cake sales and bingo. Retaining the older building for meetings and offices preserved a prominent part of the village streetscape alongside the new place of worship. [3] [4]
A local model in stained glass
A window transferred from the old chapel to Saint Brendan's later baptistery depicts the Sacred Heart appearing to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. The parish attributes it to the Earley family of stained-glass artists and records a gift from wine merchant Mr Gilbey. Its account identifies the model for the saint as Alacoque Taylor of Beechpark, giving the religious image a specific connection with a local resident. [4]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Coolock. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- 2018:698 – Coolock: Tonlegee Road · Dominic Delany, Excavations.ie
- St Brendan’s Parish Centre: NIAH 50130228 · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Parish History · St Brendan’s Parish, Coolock
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2026-09-19. How this page was prepared.