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Tourism in Ballghaderreen |
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10th Annual Dr. Douglas Hyde
Summer School of Traditional Irish Music & Dance
Tennis Club
Golf
Club
The
Lung Waters
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Neolithic
Tomb:
The most lasting legacy of the Neolithic people are their tombs,
frequently located on high ground. Fairymount Hill is the highest
point in Co. Roscommon. A mound covered with earth on the summit
is very possibly a passage grave. |
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Hill-Forts:
At 586 ft. Fairymount Hill commands a great view of the surrounding
country and would have made a natural defence. Two large interlinked
hill-forts enclose the top of the hill and possibly date from
the Iron Age. Such sites were almost certainly tribal. The chief
and his followers occupied the hill-fort as a palace in time
of place. However, all the tribesmen and their cattle could
be accommodated within its defences in time of danger. Roscommon
Co. Council have built a water tower on part of it. |
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Cill
i Hooley:
St. Lallocc is said to be associated with the coming of Christianity
to Fairymount (Ard Senlis). It seems there was an early ecclesiastical
foundation at Cill I Hooley. There are no ruins of the church,
but is known as sacred ground and was used as a burial place
for unbaptised infants until approx. fifty years ago. |
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Loughglynn
Lake:
Loughglynn lake was constructed in the early 19th. century by
Jerrard Strickland, land agent to Viscount Dillon. It is of
ornithological interest and is especially important to wildfowl
in dry periods in winter. |
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Loughglynn
Castle:
The remains of a Normal Castle, said to have belonged to the
Fitzgeralds can be seen on the south side of the lake. One tower
still stands. This was later the location of the farmyard belonging
to Loughglynn House. |
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Aughurine
Stone Circle:
About 2000 years B.C. metal was first used in Ireland and a
very gradual transition from stone to bronze working took place.
We know very little about the new people who arrived in Ireland
with the skill of metal working. They are given the name "Beaker
Folk" because of the elaborate pottery vessels they made. They
constructed circular monuments on 'henges' of stone and wood
e.g. the world famous Stonehenge. A fine example of an E.B.A.
Stone Circle can be seen at Aughurine. Situated near a hill
top it consists of a large circle of 14 upright stones with
a cave or pit in the centre. Nearby there is a second smaller
stone circle. Various circular earthen formations and the remains
of two trackways (possibly ceremonial) are clearly visible.
The purpose of such stonehenges is unlcear. Perhaps they had
a ritual or astrological significance. Cremated bone has been
found at a similar site at Newgrange. Stone Circles are mostly
located in the South-West and North of the country adding to
the importance of the site in Roscommon. |
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Kiltobranks
Cave:
A cave in the townland of Kiltobranks may well be a pre-historic
tomb. It is located on high ground. The entrance is carefully
constructed and a lintel can be clearly seen. It is covered
by a low mound of stones. O'Donovan 9Letters 1837) says that
it was called Umhaidh Phadraig and that stones were held there
in the early nineteenth century. |
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Feigh
Lake - Wild Life Sanctuary:
Kilruan (Lisacul) - Ecclesiastical site: Kilrudane - Ecclesiastical
site: Tonroe: (a) The Tonroe Mill and Forge: An Oats and Corn
mill of the 19th. century. Oats, wheat and barley were transported
by farmers to be milled into wholemeal flour and animal feeds,
while the corn was being milled, the farmer attended to other
tasks such as "shoeing" the horse or repairing farm implements.
The mill was operational until the 1950's.
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Raths:
Raths or ringforts were the typical dwelling places of the nobles
and "strong farmers" from around 500 to 1000 A.D. within these
enclosures were dwelling houses with walls of stone and clay
and roofs of straw or reed thatch. Many Raths contained passages
known as souterrains.
Souterrains were stoned lined and usually entered from within
a shouse in the Rath. The purpose of these souterrains was mainly
storage areas for perishable foods, for concealing valuables
and as hiding places during raids. There are six such Raths
to be seen in this area:
1:
on Jack McDonnell's land.
2
and 3: on Bishop's Ecclesiastical lands.
4:
located directly behind the Four Altars Monument.
5 and 6: at Edmondstown
Crossroads.
The finest examples of souterrains are to be found in Raths
5 and 6 where the chambers are believed to be linked by a series
of passage-ways to further souterrains about one mile in Drumacoo.
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Edmondstown:
The Costellos had possession of a large part of Sliabh Lugha.
In 1257 the McCostellos (as they were called in Connacht) built
a stong Normal castle on the site of the ancient Aileac Mor
(or Castlemore), a castle which they held until 1587 when it
was captured by Hugh O'Donnell of Ulster. After the Costellos
became dispossessed they fanned out: one branch moved to Tallaghan,
the famous Una Bhan pined over one of the sons of this household,
namely Thomas Laidir. Another branch moved to Cregan-na-Gran
and built the Fourt Altars and another branch moved to Kilfree,
Gurteen. The Norman castle which they built is in ruins at Castlemore
as is Kilfree House and the home of the Costellos of Cregane
na Gran. The last residence of the McCostellos is now occupied
by the Bishop of Achonry, Dr. Thomas Flynn.
Bishop's
House Edmondstown:
The Palace itself was built in 1864, by Sir Robert Art Costello,
and sold to the church about 1895. It is a Scottish Manor House
built of cut stone. In later years the House was used as a boarding
school for students and was known as "Edmondstown College."
This boarding school was replaced by our present day St. Nathy's
College.
Fuluacht Fiadh
on Bishop's House land:
Fluacht Fiadh, which were the ancient cooking places, were used
extensively in the Bronze Age 2000 - 5000 B.C. In these prehistoric
times hunting was a favourite sport in Ireland and at the end
of the chase it was customary to set up camp and prepare a feast
from the day's kill. The animals - mainly deer and wild boar
were cut up and wrapped in straw. A hollow was made in marshy
ground or near a stream and a woodlined trough inserted. The
meat was placed in the trough and as the water level rose to
cover the meat, red hot stones were thrown in. Hot stones continued
to be thrown in until the meat was cooked. Fuluacht Fiadh are
easily recognised by the mound of burnt stones which were placed
in a horse-shoe shape. This horse-shoe shaped piece of land
is much greener in colour than surrounding land.
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The
Four Altars Monument:
The Four Altars, a ruin of penal times is situated about 3 miles
from Ballaghaderreen town centre on the main Sligo Road. It
was built by the Costellos of Cregan-na-Grant. The priest who
read Mass at the famous Mass rock Aiteentaggart also read mass
when circumstances permitted at the four Altars as he resided
with the Costellos of Cregan an Gran. While speaking on religious
matters of much later times, it is well to note that up until
1873 there were 2 catholic churches which served the environs
of Ballaghadereen. One was that of St. Mary's Hall and the other
which was located just a few hundred yards from the Four Altars
on the Monasteraden Road. No trace of this church remains today,
but the Sisters of Charity held class in this church every Sunday
after 12 noon mass. This church was replaced by St. Aidan's
Church, Monasteraden.
Cillin (situated directly behind Four Altars): These ancient
burial grounds were used for burials of unbaptised children.
This fine example is situated in the Rath and stones mark graves.
Directly beside this Rath and Cillin are traces of the original
village of Edmondstown. Tohers at Creggane and Callow: Two ancient
bog trackways or "tohers" were discovered in the early 1960's.
The trackway in Creggane was made of wood and stone and that
of the Callow Bog was made of wooden planks only. These trackways
were built primarily to permit the movement of people across
the boglands of Ireland. These trackways have been radio carbon
dated to 1100 B.C. The Creggane trackway can be reached by taking
the first turn left after the Float bridge. It is situated approximately
400 yards along this road. |
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Coolavin:
McDermotts House:
The McDermott clan originally lived in Boyle (Lough Key) but
when the planters came, their lands were acquired by the English
and they then moved to the shores of Lough Gara, to the townland
of Shroof. The remains of the fortress is still to be seen near
one of the sites where the crannogs were discovered. The present
day Demesne is built on the site of a former *smaller house.
The Coolavin House was built in 1880 and in the grounds of this
famous house is the ancient Caiseal. * That smaller house was
owned by the Holmes Family.
Cashel
at Coolavin:
This Caisheal is situated on the McDermott Estate in Coolavin.
This round stone fort is about 2000 years old. It is about 10
feet high and 15 feet wide with an entrance at the South East.
There are also two souterrains in the enclosure and it is believed
by Madame McDermott herself that the timber road at the Float
(Creggane) is connected to the Caisheal. Circa 1900 a group
of people repaired the Caiseal in an attempt to restore it to
its original shape.
Directly opposite the Caiseal at Coolavin is the house of a
former Protestant Rector. This house was divided into two parts;
one half belonged to the R.I.C. Barracks ( again situated below
the gate to Coolavin Estate on left hand side of road) and the
other was the Protestant Rector's House. The old road leading
from the Ballaghaderreen side of the Rector's House was referred
to as "The Green Road" which is said to be a further continuation
of the timber road at the Coolavin Caiseal. On the left hand
side of the Rector's house is the sit e of a Protestant Graveyard.
St. Attracta's Well and Crucifixion
Plaque:
A few hundred yards beyond the impressive entrance to Coolavin
House lies St. Attracta's well and Crucifixion Plaque. Enclosed
on three sides by walls, the centre is comprised of a limestone
flag. The figure of Christ as he hung on the cross is sculptured
on this with the instruments of the Passion carved on either
side of them. Tradition has it that the work was done in the
17th. century by a local artist. The inscription I.H.S. 1662.
21G is imprinted on the Plaque and it's believed that the 1662
may signify the year of restoration while the I.G. may stand
for Iriel O'Gara. On top of the north wall are placed 13 round
water worn pebbles. The number 13 seems remarkable, maybe it
represents the 12 apostles plus Jesus. At the foot of the wall
there is a prominent hollow in one boulder. The water in this
was believed to cure children who had rickets.
St. Attracta's Hospice, Killaraght:
St. Attracta was the daughter of the chieftain of the area called
Talan, who was converted to Christianity by St. Patrick. She
founded a hospice for travellers at Killaraght which survived
to the 15th. century. |
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Portahard
Church & Interpretative Centre
Portahard Church of Ireland was built in 1740 and restored in
1988 by Roscommon County Council. It's original function was
preserved and an Interpretative Centre telling the life story
of Dr. Douglas Hyde (1860-1949) was installed. Dr. Hyde's contribution
to modern Ireland is highlighted in the exhibition by the use
of informative charts, maps and photographs. Through audio-visual
material you can capture the spirit of his dream and celebrate
the achievements of one life dedicated to dream and vision.
Also on display is the original letter nominating him as first
President of Ireland, signed by members of the two main political
parties in Dáil Éireann - Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - along
with many other items of historical interest. |
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Dr
Douglas Hyde |
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Dr.
Douglas Hyde was born in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon on 17th
January 1860. The family moved to Portahard when his father,
Rev. Arthur Hyde, (1819 - 1905) was appointed rector here
in 1867. Here, as a privileged Anglo-Irish youth, Douglas
enjoyed the country life, fishing, hunting and helping out
on the farm. Through these activities he became friends with
locals such as Seamus Hart, Mrs. Connolly and John Lavin who
taught him Irish and instilled in him a love of Irish culture.
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From the
age of seventeen he began to write prose, poetry and plays in
Irish and English. Fearing the imminent demise of the Irish
Language and loss of its wealth of oral folktales and songs
began collecting this material which he later published in his
popular bilingual anthologies such as "Beside the Fire" (1890)
and "Love Songs of Connaught" (1893). These works were acknowledged
by W.B. Yeats as major sources for the Irish Literary Renaissance.
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Dr. D. Hyde joined with Yeats, Lady A. Gregory (1852 - 1932),
J.M. Synge (1871 - 1909) and others in creating an Irish theatre.
He entered Trinity College, Dublin in 1880. An excellent student,
he won many prizes for his academic prowess including the gold
medal for Modern Literature in 1884. He graduated in 1888 with
an LLD Degree. Dr. Hyde married Lucy Kurtz, in 1893 and they
had two daughters, Nuala and Una. Also in 1893, he was one of
the seven founders of the Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeilge)
and was elected as it's first president, a post he held until
1915. Padraig H. Pearse (1879 - 1916), the 1916 revolutionary,
wrote: "The Gaelic League will be recognised in history as the
most revolutionary influence that has ever come into Ireland.
The Irish Revolution really began when the seven proto-Gaelic
Leaguers met in O'Connell Street. The germ of all future Irish
history was in that back room" Dr. Douglas Hyde held the chair
for Modern Irish in University College Dublin from 1909 to 1932.
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His work
in reviving the Irish language and his contribution to the formation
of the modern Irish identity was symbolically acknowledged by
Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament) when he was unanimously selected
as first President of Ireland in 1938. He died on 12 July 1949
and was given a state funeral to Portahard. He is buried beside
his wife Lucy, his daughter Nuala, his sister Annette, mother
Elizabeth and father Arthur. |
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