Donamon Castle
Donamon Castle,or more correctly,Dunamon Castle(Irish:Dún Iomáin)[1]is one of the oldest inhabited buildings inIrelandand stands on raised ground overlooking theRiver SuckinCounty Roscommon.[2][3] There was a fort here from early times (hence the name Dún Iomáin, fort of Iomán), but the first recorded reference to "Dún Iomghain" is in theAnnals of the Four Mastersfor the year 1154.
It was the seat of the Ó Fionnachta chief of Clann Chonnmhaigh, one of the two main branches of thisConnachtfamily.[4]In 1232, Adam de Staunton fortified the site further as part of the Norman conquest, but this were retaken and demolished by the native O'Connors the following year. The rebuilt castle was occupied in 1294 by de Oddingseles. He died the following year. The de Birminghams then took over but it was again destroyed by the O'Connors and 1307 they were supplanted by a branch of the Burkes, the head of which was known as MacDavid. The MacDavid Burkes occupied it for the next 300 years. During the seventeenth century, a junior branch of the Caulfeild family came to own the castle and surrounding territory. They continued to own it throughout theProtestant Ascendancy.
In late 1932, anIRAunit, under the command ofSeán McCooland Mick Price, took over Donamon Castle to set up an IRA training camp.[5]
In 1939 theDivine Word Missionariescame to Ireland and purchased the castle from theIrish Land Commission.The missionary society constructed several new buildings to create a campus for training people before they went into the field. The castle itself is still their home in Ireland.[citation needed]The training campus was managed by theIrish Wheelchair Associationas a "National Holiday Centre" until its closure in 2019.[6]The center was reopened in 2022 to houseUkrainian refugeesarriving into Ireland byRoscommon County Councilwith help fromIrish Aidand RoscommonLions Club.
References[edit]
- ^"Dún Iomáin/Dunamon".
- ^"Dunamon".Archived fromthe originalon 18 January 2021.Retrieved27 May2013.
- ^"Dunamon Castle Creggs Galway Dunamon Castle Ireland".Archived fromthe originalon 2 September 2011.
- ^"Irish Names and Surnames".LibraryIreland. 1923.Retrieved27 May2013.
- ^"Donamon Castle, Castles Historical in Roscommon. Find all Roscommon Travel and Tourist information in Ireland".Goireland.Retrieved18 August2009.
- ^"Cuisle Holiday Centre".Cuisle.Retrieved27 May2013.
53°37′55″N8°19′08″W/ 53.632°N 8.319°W
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