Cloondacon

Cloondacon or Cloondachon (Irish: Cluain Dá Chon[1], meaning "Meadow of the two hounds") is a townland in the Parish of Aughagower and Barony of Burrishoole in County Mayo. It is bordered to the northeast by Mace South, to the south by Tevinish East, to the southwest by Aughagower, to the west by Gorteen, and to the northwest by the Deerpark.[2]
Cloondacon is situated on Tochar Phádraig, the ancient route from Ballintubber Abbey through Aughagower to Croagh Patrick.[2][3]

The name Cluain Dá Chon refers to an ancient legend according to which a pagan chieftain set two wolfhounds on Saint Patrick. Instead of attacking Patrick, the hounds licked his hands. The chieftain was moved by this and became a Christian. According to an alternative version, St. Patrick made the sign of the cross over them, and the two hounds were swallowed up in an oval shaped hole called Poll na gCon (the hole of the hounds).[3]

References
  1. Placenames database of Ireland
  2. 1828 Ordnance Survey Map of Mayo Archived 2012-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 1 May 2013
  3. Tochar Phadraig A Pilgrim's Progress by Ballintubber Abbey Publications 1989

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