Ahascragh
Encyclopedia
Ahascragh is a village in east Galway
, Ireland
. It is located 11 km (7 mi) (7 mi) north-west of Ballinasloe on the Ahascragh/Bunowen River, a tributary of the River Suck
. The R358
regional road
passes through the village.
in 788 A.D. The Annals also mention the battle of Ahascragh in 1307 between the English
forces and O'Kelly Chieftain
s.
Ahascragh had two Anglo-Irish seats of residence, located in Castlegar and Clonbrock, with respective period houses.
In Castlegar sat the Mahon family. The Mahons were settled at Castlegar from the late 17th century. They intermarried on a number of occasions with members of the Browne family of Westport. In 1819 the head of the family became a baronet. In the 1830s, at the time of the first Ordnance Survey, Ross Mahon was the proprietor of several townlands in the parish of Ahascragh. The Mahon estate was one of the principal lessors in the parish of Grange, barony of Loughrea at the time of Griffith's Valuation. Mr. Charles Filgate acted as agent for this property. The Mahons also held extensive lands in the baronies of Clonmacnowen and Killian. In the 1870s the Castlegar estate amounted to over 32 km2 (8,000 acres) in county Galway as well as over 3.2 km2 (800 acres) in the parish of Termonbarry, barony of Ballintober North, county Roscommon. In 1906 Sir William Mahon held over 4.9 km2 (1,200 acres) of untenanted land in the Ahascragh area. MacLochlainn writes that most of the estate was sold to the Land Commission in 1977.
In 1979 the house was sold by the Mahons to John Horan, who advertised the house for sale again in 1988. There is still a house at this site.
In Clonbrock sat the Dillon family. Lord Clonbrock was listed as a resident proprietor in county Galway in 1824. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Lord Clonbrock was one of the principal lessors in the parishes of Ahascragh, Fohanagh, Killalaghtan and Killosolan in the barony of Kilconnell and Killoran in the barony of Longford. In the 1870s the Clonbrock estate in county Galway amounted to over 110 km2 (28,000 acres). Lands, house and demesne at Cahir, barony of Clonmacnowen, owned by James Dillon, were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates court in July 1854. In 1906 Lord Clonbrock held over 8.1 km2 (2,000 acres) of untenanted land and the mansion house at Clonbrock.
There are several hairdressers, two undertakers and one auctioneer located in the village. There is a Londis shop and a Mace convenience store. There is one large supplier of general goods.
Bingo every second weekend in the parish hall and monthly ceilies are other highlights.
It was recently described as the safest village in Ireland in an article published in "The Irish Daily Mail" (April 2008).
The National (Primary) School in Ahascragh was built in 19nn.
's award winning show Don't Feed the Gondolas
presented by Sean Moncrieff
, satirised small village Ireland at the end of each show, choosing Ahascragh and the fictional "Head of the Parish Co-mit-tea" Monica Loolly as its instrument. The following footnotes will bring you to a site playing a Monica Loolly call and secondly pictures from the show. So brilliantly executed was this that nobody believed this village in the 'west of Ireland' existed. A regular passing trade of amazed viewers began to visit, sampling the wares of the village.
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is located 11 km (7 mi) (7 mi) north-west of Ballinasloe on the Ahascragh/Bunowen River, a tributary of the River Suck
River Suck
The River Suck is a river in Ireland, approx. in length.It is the main tributary of the River Shannon. It meets the River Swilly a few kilometres north of the village of Shannonbridge to form the Suck-Swilly, which becomes the River Shannon....
. The R358
R358 road
The R358 road is a regional road in Ireland linking the N63 at Mountbellew to the N6 at Ballinasloe, all in County Galway.The road is long.-References:* – Department of Transport...
regional road
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
passes through the village.
History
The Patron saint of the village is Saint Cuan. His death is recorded in the Annals of the Four MastersAnnals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
in 788 A.D. The Annals also mention the battle of Ahascragh in 1307 between the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
forces and O'Kelly Chieftain
Chiefs of the Name
The Chief of the Name, or in older English usage Captain of his Nation, is the recognised head of a family or clan...
s.
Ahascragh had two Anglo-Irish seats of residence, located in Castlegar and Clonbrock, with respective period houses.
In Castlegar sat the Mahon family. The Mahons were settled at Castlegar from the late 17th century. They intermarried on a number of occasions with members of the Browne family of Westport. In 1819 the head of the family became a baronet. In the 1830s, at the time of the first Ordnance Survey, Ross Mahon was the proprietor of several townlands in the parish of Ahascragh. The Mahon estate was one of the principal lessors in the parish of Grange, barony of Loughrea at the time of Griffith's Valuation. Mr. Charles Filgate acted as agent for this property. The Mahons also held extensive lands in the baronies of Clonmacnowen and Killian. In the 1870s the Castlegar estate amounted to over 32 km2 (8,000 acres) in county Galway as well as over 3.2 km2 (800 acres) in the parish of Termonbarry, barony of Ballintober North, county Roscommon. In 1906 Sir William Mahon held over 4.9 km2 (1,200 acres) of untenanted land in the Ahascragh area. MacLochlainn writes that most of the estate was sold to the Land Commission in 1977.
In 1979 the house was sold by the Mahons to John Horan, who advertised the house for sale again in 1988. There is still a house at this site.
In Clonbrock sat the Dillon family. Lord Clonbrock was listed as a resident proprietor in county Galway in 1824. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Lord Clonbrock was one of the principal lessors in the parishes of Ahascragh, Fohanagh, Killalaghtan and Killosolan in the barony of Kilconnell and Killoran in the barony of Longford. In the 1870s the Clonbrock estate in county Galway amounted to over 110 km2 (28,000 acres). Lands, house and demesne at Cahir, barony of Clonmacnowen, owned by James Dillon, were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates court in July 1854. In 1906 Lord Clonbrock held over 8.1 km2 (2,000 acres) of untenanted land and the mansion house at Clonbrock.
Modern village
Still a small village, it has a thriving local commercial community. There are five pubs: Katie Daly's (It was originally built as a thatched cottage), Cahills, Clinton's, Cathline's and DeCourcy's.There are several hairdressers, two undertakers and one auctioneer located in the village. There is a Londis shop and a Mace convenience store. There is one large supplier of general goods.
Bingo every second weekend in the parish hall and monthly ceilies are other highlights.
It was recently described as the safest village in Ireland in an article published in "The Irish Daily Mail" (April 2008).
The National (Primary) School in Ahascragh was built in 19nn.
People
- Philip TreacyPhilip TreacyPhilip Treacy OBE is an Irish milliner.Born in Ahascragh,in the West of Ireland, he lived with his parents, seven brothers and sister across the road from the village church...
, OBE. Born and raised on Church Street, Treacy is a leading international milliner in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
- Mairtín Byrnes (deceased). An award-winning and recorded Irish fiddle player in the East Galway style , who is on the list of all-Ireland Fleadh champions, 1970. http://www.joeburkemusic.com/pictureGallery/images/friends/preview/friends24.JPG Mairtín Byrnes is sitting on the far left.
- Sean 'ac DonnchaSean 'ac DonnchaSeán 'ac Dhonncha Seán 'ac Dhonncha Seán 'ac Dhonncha (alternatively, Seán 'ac onna (1919–1996) was a traditional Irish singer.Born in Carna, Conamara, Co. Galway, he won a scholarship to Coláiste Éinde and qualified as a primary teacher in 1940. He taught in Co. Cavan from 1947, and later spent...
(deceased). An award-winning and recorded Irish singer who was the headmaster for many years in Ahascragh national school. He lived outside the village with his wife Bríd and many children in Ervilla. His name in English was Sean McDonagh.
- Eamon GilmoreEamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore is an Irish Labour Party politician and the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been the Leader of the Labour Party since September 2007, and a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since 1989, first with the Workers' Party of Ireland, and...
. Born in the parish of Ahascragh, in the village of CaltraCaltraCaltra is a village on the R358 regional road in County Galway, Ireland.-Sport:Caltra GAA club has been very successful in recent years, winning the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship in 2004.-People:...
, Gilmore is now the leader of the Labour PartyLabour Party (Ireland)The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
representing a Dublin constituency, having moved from early involvement with Official Sinn Féin.
- Mary HarneyMary HarneyMary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
. Born into a farming family in the Ahascragh locality, Harney became leader of the Progressive DemocratsProgressive DemocratsThe Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
and a government minister holding various portfolios, including that of TánaisteTánaisteThe Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
(Deputy Prime Minister) and Health.
- Rónán MullenRónán MullenRónán Thomas Mullen is an independent Irish Senator and delegate to the Council of Europe. He was elected in the National University of Ireland Seanad constituency in July 2007 and re-elected for a second term in 2011. Mullen is a frequent media commentator on social and political topics...
. A university panel member of Seanad ÉireannSeanad ÉireannSeanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
, Mullen is an independent politician. Politically, he is a religious conservative, has acted as spokesman for the Archdiocese of DublinArchbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
and is a member of the board of directors of CEIST (Catholic Education Irish Schools Trust) Ltd. He is a cousin of Michael Mullen, a Fine GaelFine GaelFine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
member of Galway County CouncilGalway County CouncilGalway County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Galway in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The county seat is at Galway County Hall in Galway...
representing the Ballinasloe electoral area (which includes Ahascragh).
- Fr. Kevin ReynoldsFr. Kevin ReynoldsFr. Kevin Reynolds is an Irish Catholic priest, falsely alleged by Raidió Teilifís Éireann in its Prime Time programme, to have raped and impregnated a minor Kenyan woman named Veneraanda and fathering a child called Sheila, during his time as a missionary...
. A priest subjected to a defamation by Raidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ) in Mission to PreyMission to Prey"Mission to Prey" is the title of an episode of the RTÉ programme Prime Time Investigates broadcast in May 2011. It was presented by RTÉ's Aoife Kavanagh....
.
Fishing
- Bunowen River; Open Season: March 1 - September 30
- Species: Wild Brown Trout averaging nearly 0.45 kg (1 lb)
- Size Limit: 25.4 cm (10 in)
- Daily Bag Limit: 6 trout
- Angling Methods: Trout fishing only, artificial fly, spinning and worms only. Above Ahascragh Bridge fly only, Bank fishing only
- Access: Access is good at road bridges
- Facilities: Open Bank - with some stiles and footbridges.
- Permission To Fish: This fishery is part of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board's 'Midland Fisheries Group' of controlled waters and anglers require a fishing permit (ticket charge) to fish here. See weblink for map of catchments in the Midland Fisheries group of waters which are covered by a fishing permit. Rates for 2007 are Adult Annual €35.00; Pensioner Annual €18.00;. Juvenile Annual €12.00 Juvenile 1 Day €2.00 Day Permit €10.00 Visitors 21 Day: €18.00. You can purchase a fishing permit online using your credit card or laser card.
Popular culture
RTÉRTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's award winning show Don't Feed the Gondolas
Don't Feed The Gondolas
Don't Feed the Gondolas is an Irish comedy panel show, similar in format to the BBC's Have I Got News For You and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, that ran for four series on Network 2 between 1997 and 2001...
presented by Sean Moncrieff
Seán Moncrieff
Seán Moncrieff is an Irish broadcaster, journalist and writer. He currently presents the weekday afternoon radio show Moncrieff on Newstalk. His television credits include his own Raidió Teilifís Éireann chat show Good Grief Moncrieff!, comedy panel show Don't Feed the Gondolas, and The...
, satirised small village Ireland at the end of each show, choosing Ahascragh and the fictional "Head of the Parish Co-mit-tea" Monica Loolly as its instrument. The following footnotes will bring you to a site playing a Monica Loolly call and secondly pictures from the show. So brilliantly executed was this that nobody believed this village in the 'west of Ireland' existed. A regular passing trade of amazed viewers began to visit, sampling the wares of the village.
Annalistic references
- 788 - Cuan of Ath Eascrach ... died.
- 1307 - The greater number of the English of Roscommon were slain by Donough Muimhneach O'Kelly, Lord of Hy-Many, at Ath-easgrach-Cuan, where Philip Muinder, John Muinder, and Main Drew, with many others whose names are not mentioned, were killed. Dermot Gall Mac Dermot, Cormac Mac Kaherny, and the sheriff of Roscommon, were taken prisoners; but they were afterwards set at liberty, and they made peace recte restitution for the burning of the town by Edmund Butler. Donough O'Kelly, after he had performed these exploits, died; and his was not the death of one who had lived a life of cowardice, but the death of a man who had displayed prowess and bravery, and bestowed jewels and riches.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland