The townland was part of Tobermore electoral ward of the former Magherafelt District Council, however in 1926 it was part of Tobermore district electoral division as part of the Maghera division of Magherafelt Rural District.[4] It was also part of the historic barony of Loughinsholin.[3]
History
John O'Donovan, who worked on the Ordnance Survey if the early 19th century, recommended that the townland of Clooney be spelt as "Cloan", however his suggestion was scored out in the Ordnance Survey Name Books and replaced with "Cloney", which was based on the apparent usage of the time. At a later stage it was again revised to the modern spelling "Clooney".[2]
The townland appears to have been originally known along the lines of Ballynecloney (from IrishBaile na Cluana, meaning 'townland of the meadow'), with variations of this spelling used in various sources from 1609 until 1657.[2]
^Northern Ireland Environment Agency. "NIEA Map Viewer". Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
^ abcdToner, Gregory: Place-Names of Northern Ireland, page 117. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, ISBN0-85389-613-5
^ abNotes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry, 1925, Alfred Moore Munn, Clerk of the Crown and Peace of the City and County of Londonderry