In medieval times, the
Mac Shamhráin (
McGovern or Magauran)
túath of
Tullyhaw was divided into economic taxation areas called ballibetoes, from the Irish
Baile Biataigh (Anglicized as 'Ballybetagh'), meaning 'A Provisioner's Town or Settlement'. The original purpose was to enable the farmer, who controlled the baile, to provide hospitality for those who needed it, such as poor people and travellers. The ballybetagh was further divided into townlands farmed by individual families who paid a tribute or tax to the head of the ballybetagh, who in turn paid a similar tribute to the clan chief. The steward of the ballybetagh would have been the secular equivalent of the
erenagh in charge of church lands. There were seven ballibetoes in the parish of Templeport. Coologe was located in the ballybetagh of
Bally Cooleigie (alias 'Bally Cowleg'), which was named after the townland. The 1836 Ordnance Survey Namebooks give the Irish version of the townland as '' 'Cuileóg', meaning "A Little Corner"
. However the earlier texts differ. A poem, composed about 1290 A.D. in the Book of Magauran (Poem 2, verse 27), gives the name as Cúl Ó nGuaire'', meaning "Guaire's Corner". Another possible meaning is
Cúl Ó Gabhair, meaning "The Corner of the Goats". :
Pleasant is the home of the hero of Botha, :
Sheltering the scion of Conn and Corc from wind and rain :
Coologe is no place to be raided, :
It is a castle whose commands are the most steadily obeyed in the world. :(
Suairc ionadh longphoirt laoich Bhoth, :''ar ghaoith d'ua ChonnChuirc 's ar chioth'' :
Cúl ó nGuaire ní cúl creach, :
dún na mbreath bhus bhuaine ar bioth). Coologe was the residence of the
Mac Shamhráin (
McGovern or Magauran) chiefs of
Tullyhaw in medieval times before they moved to
Ballymagauran in the 1400s. The
Annals of the Four Masters under the year 1298 state: ''Brian Breaghach the Bregian Magauran, Chief of Teallach-Eachdhacih Tullyhaw, was slain by Hugh Breitneach O'Conor, and the Clann-Murtough.'' The
Annals of Loch Cé under the year 1298 state: ''Brian Bregach Mac Shamhradhain, chieftain of Tellach-Echach, the most bountiful and puissant man that was in his own time, was slain by Aedh Breifnech O'Conchobhair and the Clann-Muirchertaigh, in his own house at Cuil-O'Guaire, on the third day of summer'' (Brian bregach Mag Shamradhan, taisech Tellaigh Echach, fer rob ferr enech agus engnum do bhí na aimsir fein, do mharbad la h-Oedh mBreiffnech Hui Conchobair, agus la Clainn Muirchertaigh, na thigh fein a Cúil O nGuaire in tres lá do shamradh). The
Annals of Connacht 1298 state:
Brian Bregach Mag Samradain, chieftain of Tullyhaw, the most generous and valorous man of his time, was killed by Aed Brefnech O Conchobair and the Clan Murtagh in his own house at Coologe on the third day of summer (Brian Bregach Mag Samradan toisech Tellaig Echach, fer rob ferr enech & engnam bai ina amsir fein, do marbad la hAed mBrefnech hui Conchobair agus la Clainn Murcertaig na tig fein a Cuil hui nGuaire an tres la do tSamrad.). Poem 4 in the Book of Magauran laments Brian's death when the castle was burned. Until the Cromwellian
Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652, the modern townland of
Toberlyan formed part of the modern townland of Coologe, as one of its subdivisions. Another subdivision of Coologe was the modern townland of
Toberlyan Duffin. Therefore, neither of the Toberlyans are depicted on the 1609 Baronial or 1665
Down Survey maps. The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as
Coleag. The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as
Cooleoge.
Sir William Petty's 1685 map depicts it as
Coolorg. In the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663 there were two Hearth Tax payers in
Coolege- Nola Ny Conell and Neale O Doan. A grant dated 3 June 1667 from
King Charles II to
Colonel Thomas Coote included part of
Cooleoge with an area of 59 acres and 32 perches at an annual rent of £0-15s-11 3/4d. A grant dated 9 September 1669 from King Charles II to
the 1st Earl of Anglesey included part of
Cooleoge with an area of 23 acres and 26 perches at an annual rent of £0-6s-2 1/2d. The aforesaid Colonel Thomas Coote died on 25 November 1671 and his lands went to his nephew,
Thomas Coote. On 8 September 1716, the said nephew Thomas Coote leased land to Edward Ellis, which included the lands of
Cuiliege alias Burren. A deed dated 19 Mar 1768 by the family of the aforesaid Edward Ellis included the lands of
Cuiluge alias Burren. A lease dated 22 September 1776 was made between John, Francis, William and Patrick Bannan of Coologe, concerning the lands of Garradice beg. The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list twelve tithepayers in the townland. The Ordnance Survey Name Books for 1836 give the following description of the townland-
The whole of the east, south and a great part of the west of the townland is bounded by a large river and lake. The Coologe Valuation Office Field books are available for November 1839. In 1841 the population of the townland was 82, being 46 males and 36 females. There were sixteen houses in the townland, all of which were inhabited. A rare surviving page from the
1841 census of Ireland lists the household of Michael Bannon of Coologe. In 1851 the population of the townland was 92, being 52 males and 40 females. There were fourteen houses in the townland, all inhabited. In 1861 the population of the townland was 78, being 44 males and 34 females. There were seventeen houses in the townland and all were inhabited. In 1871 the population of the townland was 36, being 17 males and 19 females. There were twelve houses in the townland, all were inhabited. In 1881 the population of the townland was 39, being 18 males and 21 females. There were eleven houses in the townland, all were inhabited. In 1891 the population of the townland was 42, being 20 males and 22 females. There were eleven houses in the townland, of which one was uninhabited. In the
1901 census of Ireland, there are fourteen families listed in the townland. In the
1911 census of Ireland, there are eleven families listed in the townland. ==Antiquities==