Collooney

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Collooney, also known as Coloony, Irish name Cúil Mhuine meaning “nook of the thicket,” is a town in County Sligo, in the province of Connacht, Ireland. The town lies near the Owenmore River, which joins the Unshin River just north of Collooney to form the Ballysadare River. The main part of Collooney sits to the southwest of these rivers.

Collooney is at the meeting point of two major roads, the N4 (Dublin–Sligo) and the N17 (Sligo–Galway). It was bypassed by the N4 in 1998 and by the N17 in 1992. The town used to be a railway hub with three stations; today only Collooney station remains, opened in 1862 on the Dublin–Sligo line, with other stations on the Western Railway Corridor to Claremorris and on the line to Enniskillen.

Historically, the Battle of Collooney took place nearby in 1798 during the Irish Rebellion, and the Teeling Monument outside the town commemorates a United Irishman involved in the battle. In the 18th century, Charles O’Hara built a bleach mill in Collooney to boost local industry; the mill closed in 1956 and was sometimes used to produce carbide. The town’s name has appeared in various forms, including Culmaine, Cashel, Killinbridge, and Cowlowney, reflecting its long history and possible origins.