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Ballinasloe |
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Including
Ahascragh,
Aughrim,
Eyrecourt,
Lawrencetown,
Woodford
Ballinasloe occupies a strategic location on the N6
National Primary route linking Dublin and Galway and is one
of the principal gateways to the West. The town owes its
origins to its location as a crossing point on the River
Suck, a tributary of the Shannon, on the boarders of
Counties Galway and Roscommon. It is the largest town in
County Galway after Galway City, and its hinterland extends
up to twelve miles from the town boundary into County
Galway, and up to six miles into County Roscommon. The
population of the town is almost 6,000 with a further 8,000
residing in the environs.
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Ballinasloe is steeped in history, and has been lauded for
the architectural character of its fine streetscapes. This planned layout
of the town in the 19th Century consisting of wide streets, a market
square, fair green, show grounds and town hall can be attributed to
William Trench, who was conferred with the Earldom of Clancarty at this
time. The town can trace its roots back even further with the existence of
three ringforts in the town and two possible Crannog sites dating back to
the 1st century. Three Medieval Tower Houses are located within the Urban
District as does a well preserved Early medieval parish Church at
Templepoilin Pollboy, built in about the 9th Century by the Augustinian
Monks of Clontuskert.
Ballinasloe Horse Fair
The Ballinasloe Horse Fair (above right) has its
origins in "The Gathering of the Hostings" dating back to
the High Kings of Tara. Its formal charter was granted by
King George to the Second Earl of Clancarty in 1722. King
George I granted permission for the local landlords to have
a livestock fair in the town's green (oval). By the mid
1800's up to 4,000 horses were exhibited. Many of the horses
were purchased for use on European battlefields. Today, over
80,000 horse lovers visit Ballinasloe during the week long
festivities, pumping 3 million euro into the local economy.
During the fair, the usually quiet town of Ballinasloe, is
transformed into a sea of cars, trucks, trailers, horse
floats and people.
Ballymore Castle
Ballymore Castle in Lawrencetown (below right) was originally a Madden tower house of
the 15th century, to which a house was added in 1620 and much altered
since. Ballymore Castle was built by John Lawrence in year 1585. on the
land he acquired through his marriage to the daughter of O'Madden. It was
damaged in subsequent wars and repaired by his son, Walter, in 1620. John
Lawrence Jnr. was dispossessed by Cromwell in 1641. he having espoused the
royalist cause in the war of that time. By this marriage he acquired a
vast territory in the Barony of Longford, County of Galway, his
descendants still hold undisputed possession of the Mortuary Chapel,
connection with the Cathedral Church of Clonfert, wherein the hereditary
Lords of Longford have interred their dead for many hundred years before
the days of Elizabeth.
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Saint Brendan's Cathedral Clonfert
The Cathedral (above left) itself stands in the grounds of the monastery
founded by St. Brendan in the 6th century. It flourished for
many centuries, even through times of great invasions by the
Danes who frequently sailed up the River Shannon from
Limerick and attacked it. It was burnt down in 1016, 1164,
and again in 1179. The monastery and most of the church were
destroyed in 1541, and the monastery was not rebuilt after
this final assault on it. As practically nothing now remains
to testify to the fame of this place but the tiny Cathedral,
it is difficult for the visitor today to imagine that Clonfert, which is really just a townland, was once a city
and celebrated for its school. There were over 3,000 monks
in this place at one time. To quote from one historian: "In
the sixteenth century the College of St Brendan flourished
in Clonfert. There were as many as three thousand students
there at one time. It is mentioned in a State paper in the
reign of Queen Elizabeth that before Trinity College, Dublin
was founded, it was proposed to found the University at
Clonfert as it was at that time celebrated as a seat of
learning and, being in the centre of Ireland, a convenient
place for Irish students; but the proposition was rejected
and Dublin obtained the Charter." |
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