Shanagolden, County Limerick
Encyclopedia
Shanagolden is a small village located in County Limerick
, Ireland
. The village located on the R521 regional road
between Foynes
and Newcastlewest. It is situated west of the 'Golden Vale
', an area of fertile agricultural land in the province of Munster
. The 2006 Irish census placed the population at 292 people.
. In 968 the King of Munster, Mahon, defeated the Norsemen of Limerick
and Waterford
at Sengualainn in a "red slaughter". In 1124, Turlogh O'Connor gathered a fleet together to cross the River Shannon
and plundered the lands of the Uí Conaill at Foynes Island. After the defeat of the Munster Geraldines by the English, Shanagolden village was laid out during the 1580s as a plantation village.
stronghold, is located a short distance away from the village. The castle was possibly constructed in 1230 on land associated with the FitzGerald family which settled in the area after 1169 and was a fortress of the Knights of Glin
before being burned in 1641. Known as the "Old Abbey", St. Katherine's Abbey, Monisternagalliaghduff
(Manisternagalliaghduff) is a former Augustinian nunnery founded in 1298 and dissolved in 1541. One of the earliest recorded nunneries in Ireland, it is located in a valley about 2 miles east of Shanagolden. The towns history has been chronicled in a local book, written by students of the local primary school, and was published and distributed to many local shops.
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, 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...
. The village located on the R521 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...
between Foynes
Foynes
Foynes is a village and major port in County Limerick in the midwest of Ireland, located at the edge of hilly land on the southern bank of the Shannon Estuary. The population of the town was 606 as of the 2006 census.-Foynes's role in aviation:...
and Newcastlewest. It is situated west of the 'Golden Vale
Golden Vale
The Golden Vale is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming....
', an area of fertile agricultural land in the province of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
. The 2006 Irish census placed the population at 292 people.
History
The area is mentioned 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 968 the King of Munster, Mahon, defeated the Norsemen of Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
at Sengualainn in a "red slaughter". In 1124, Turlogh O'Connor gathered a fleet together to cross the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
and plundered the lands of the Uí Conaill at Foynes Island. After the defeat of the Munster Geraldines by the English, Shanagolden village was laid out during the 1580s as a plantation village.
Places of interest
The ruins of Shanid Castle, an important Anglo-NormanAnglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
stronghold, is located a short distance away from the village. The castle was possibly constructed in 1230 on land associated with the FitzGerald family which settled in the area after 1169 and was a fortress of the Knights of Glin
Knight of Glin
The Knight of Glin, also called the Black Knight, was a hereditary title in the Fitzgeralds of Limerick, Ireland since the early 14th century. The family was a branch of the FitzGerald dynasty or Geraldines, related to the Earls of Desmond , who were granted extensive lands in County Limerick by...
before being burned in 1641. Known as the "Old Abbey", St. Katherine's Abbey, Monisternagalliaghduff
St. Katherine's Abbey, Monisternagalliaghduff
Saint Katherine's Abbey, Monisternagalliaghduff is a former Augustinian nunnery founded in 1298 and dissolved in 1541....
(Manisternagalliaghduff) is a former Augustinian nunnery founded in 1298 and dissolved in 1541. One of the earliest recorded nunneries in Ireland, it is located in a valley about 2 miles east of Shanagolden. The towns history has been chronicled in a local book, written by students of the local primary school, and was published and distributed to many local shops.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland