The history of Tuam as a settlement dates from the early 6th century. The story goes that a monk called "Jarlath", who was a member of a religious community at Cloonfush some four miles west of Tuam and adjacent to the religious settlement at Kilbannon.

In time, Jarlath's life became uncertain as he wished to go further afield.

Eventually, Jarlath's abbot St. Benin told him to "Go, and where ever your chariot wheel breaks, there shall be the site of your new monastery and the place of your resurrection".  So it was that Jarlath's wheel broke at Tuam and a monastery and Town grew here that was to have the broken chariot wheel  as it's symbol.

Cloonfush is a village located approximately 2 miles from Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. It is substantially surrounded by River Clare, which flows into Lough Corrib.

Cloonfush was the location of St. Jarlath's Temple, the ruins of which still exist to this day, some 1600 years later. The adjacent graveyard (cemetery) is still in use, and is the location of an annual Mass on the feast day of St. Jarlath (June 6th) since 2000.

Cloonfush is accessed via the main N17 at Clashroe, and is a cul-de-sac single-lane road. The village of Kilmore is reached first, then Cloonfush approx. 1km later. There is no separation between the two villages today, as houses now line the road almost over its complete length through both villages. The road leading through the village was finally surfaced in the 1950's, with the last 400m remaing with a grass strip in the middle until the early 1980's. There is a peat bog to the south of the village, used predominantly by the inhabitants of both Cloonfush and Kilmore for harvesting turf, which is used as a solid fuel for domestic heating.

Cloonfush has seen it's population swell in recent years as many new houses have been constructed. It offers a peaceful, scenic setting for any family. However, the increased number of houses has led in turn to increased traffic, slightly tarnishing the peaceful rural existence. There is a limited local misconception that Cloonfush can be translated to mean "Meadow of the Lark"; "Meadow of peace" (tranquility) is generally regarded as the more accurate translation. "Meadow of peace" is certainly a fitting description when compared to the neighbouring congested existence of Tuam. Whilst roadside construction of houses has continued, the remaining area can be considered farmland.