The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as Gortneclogh. The 1652 Commonwealth Survey spells the name as Gowlagh. The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Gortnecloy. William Petty's 1685 map depicts it as Gortcloy. In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 13 March 1610, King James VI and I granted, inter alia, two polls of Gortneclogh and Gobeveany to Cahell M'Owen O Reyly. The said Cathal O'Reilly was the nephew of two chiefs of the O'Reilly clan- Aodh Connallach mac Maolmhordha who was chief from 1565–1583 and Eamonn mac Maolmhordha who was chief from 1596–1601. He was also a brother of Cathaoir O'Reilly who received lands in Kildoagh townland and first cousin of Donill Backagh McShane O'Reyly who was simultaneously granted lands in Burren. An Inquisition of King Charles I of England held in Cavan Town on 31 March 1635 stated that Cahell O Reily was seized in his lifetime of, inter alia, one poll of Gortnecloghy and one poll of Gowlagh. He died 1 January 1634 and his son Hugh O'Reily had reached his majority and was married. The O'Reilly lands in Gowlagh South were confiscated in the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 and were distributed as follows- The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the proprietor as Lieutenant Arthur Newborogh and the tenant as John Trench, both of whom appear in other Templeport townlands in the same survey. In the Hearth Money Rolls compiled on 29 September 1663 there was one person paying the Hearth Tax in Gartnecleigh- Daniel Roe Makelagher A grant dated 3 November 1666 was made by King Charles II of England to Sir Tristram Beresford, 1st Baronet which included, inter alia, the lands of Gortnegloigh or Gorteengloigh alias Ballymagough or Ballynegough. By grant dated 11 September 1670 from King Charles II of England to said Sir Tristram Beresford, the said lands of Gortnegleigh or Ballymagough were included in the creation of a new Manor of Beresford. A lease dated 6 April 1710 between Morley Saunders, Farrell Deane and Patrick Enery lists, inter alia, the lands of Goulagh. A deed by John Enery dated 13 December 1774 includes the lands of Golagh. The 1790 Cavan Carvaghs list spells the name as Gollagh. The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list eleven tithepayers in the townland. The Gowlagh South Valuation Office Field books are available for October 1839. Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists fourteen landholders in the townland. A distinguished native of the townland is Brendan Smith, a Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency since 1992. He previously served as the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Minister for Justice and Law Reform.
