Historical Postcard Collection: Roscrea
Bailiúchán Chártaí Poist Stairiúla: Ros Cré
Ros Cré, meaning "Wood of Cré" stands at what was, in ancient times, an area of great strategic importance. Cré, who gives the town its name, was the wife of Dála, after whom the great Sligh Dálawas named. This was one of the five great ancient roads of Ireland that ran from Tara to North Kerry. Roscrea was also an important crossroads on the road leading to Aghaboe and Ossory. Cronan of Éile has very close links with the area, and it was around Augustine monasteries he founded, in the 6th and 7th Centuries, that the town of Roscrea grew up.
Irish, Scandinavian and Norman Roots
The town flourished, to such an extent that its affluence attracted the interest of Danish raiders, who attempted to plunder the town during the annual fair in 942. The townspeople repelled them, however, and the Danish leader, Olfinn, along with 4,000 of his men, were reportedly slain. The attack of Murtagh McLoughlin in 1157, however,was much more successful, and resulted in great plunder and destruction. Roscrea was the seat of a diocese at the time of the Norman invasion, united with the diocese of Killaloe, and in 1213 Bishop O'Heyne granted King John permission to erect a castle in the town. It was subsequently granted to Theobald FitzWalter, of Butler fame, whose family gained control of the manor of Roscrea soon after.
The Visits of Eoin Roe O'Neill
During the Confederate War Roscrea (along with Nenagh) was held by Sir George Hamilton for the Earl of Ormond. In 1646 Eoin Roe O'Neill took the town in, Carte claims, a very bloody manner. O'Neill, he writes, "put man, woman and child to the sword except the Lady Hamilton…and a few gentlewomen he kept as prisoners." Indeed Lady Hamilton was to play unwilling hostess to O'Neill again three years later. Having provided them with "whole ricks of oats, hutches full of beare and oaten malt", she later had to pay them £7 to ensure they left the castle in peace.
Cromwellian Conquest
It was Lady Hamilton that held the castle until the arrival of Cromwell. By the time Ireton reached the town, in September 1650, Irish resistance to his and his father's army was confined to guerrilla attacks.One of the strongest of these guerrilla forces was based in
the Offaly region, and they frequently engaged the enemy in and around Roscrea. These, however, only delayed the inevitable: the Cromwellian plantation was set in motion in Roscrea in 1653.
Modern Development
The 1841 census recorded that Roscrea housed a population of over 9,000, but the Famine and emigration greatly decreased this number. Between the years 1901 – 1961, however, the town enjoyed a 45% increase in population, among the highest in the country. The available workforce greatly assisted in the development of industry in the area, along with the town's prime location on the Dublin – Limerick route. Today the modern industries of food processing and pharmaceuticals have taken over from the older , more traditional woollen industries, brewing, distilling and tanning.
Sources – Cunningham, "Roscrea and District"; Bassett, "Co. Tipperary"; Gleeson, "Roscrea"
Read more about:
- St. Cronan's Church
- Franciscan Friary
- The Round Tower
- Mount St. Joseph Abbey
- Roscrea Castle
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last updated on: Tuesday, 03-Aug-2010 15:40:11 IST
Seasann Ros (nó coill) Cré ar limistéar a bhí an-tábhachtach ó thaobh straitéise de. Cré, as a dtagann ainm an bhaile, ab ainm do bhean chéile Dála, a thug a ainm féin do Shlí Dála. Bhí seo ar cheann de na cúig bhóthar móra a rith ó Theamhair go Thuaisceart Chiarraí. Bhí Ros Cré mar chrosbhóthar tábhachtach ar an mbóthar go Acha Bhó agus Osraí. Bhí baint ag Crónán Éile leis an limistéar seo, agus d’fhás baile Ros Cré thart timpeall ar mhainistreacha a bhunaigh se sa 6ú agus sa 7ú hAois.
Fréamhacha Gaelacha, Lochlannacha agus Normannacha
Bhí rath ar an mbaile agus, toisc sin, tháinig creachdóirí ón Danmhairg, a rinne iarracht an baile a robáil le linn an aonaigh sa bhliain 942. Chuir muintir an bhaile chun bóthair iad, áfach, agus maraíodh Olfinn, an ceannaire Danmhargach, agus 4,000 dá Lochlannaigh. Rinne Murtach Mac Lochlainn ionsaí in 1157 a bhí i bhfad níos buaití, áfach, agus lean creachadh agus scrios uafásach. Ba chathaoir easpaig Ros Cré ag am ionsaí na Normannach, aontaithe le deoise Chill Dalua, agus thug an tEaspag Ó hÉine cead don Rí Eoin caisleán a tógáil sa bhaile. Tugadh an caisleán i ndiaidh sin do Theobald FitzWalter, de cháil na mBuitléireach, agus bhí greim ag a chlann ar mhainéir Ros Cré go luath i ndiaidh sin.
Cuairteanna ó Eoghan Rua Ó Néill
Le linn Chogadh na Comhdhála, bhí Ros Cré (chomh maith leis an Aonach) i seilbh Seoirse Hamilton, a bhí ar taobh Iarla Urumhan. Sa bhliain 1646, ghabh Eoghan Rua Ó Neill an baile i mbealach, a deir Carte, a bhí an-fhuilteach. Scríobh Carte gur chuir Ó Néill fir, mná agus páistí chun báis, ach amháin an Bantiarna Hamilton agus roinnt mná uaisle a choimead sé mar phríosúnaigh. Cinnte, bhí an Bhantiarna Hamilton le bheith mar óstach drogallach ag ó Néill arís, trí bhliain níos déanaí. Tar éis di coirce, eorna beorach agus braich a thabhairt don arm, bhí uirthi £7 a thabhairt dóibh chun cinntiú go bhfágfadh siad an caisleán.
Gabhadh Cromaileach
Ba í an Bhantiarna Hamilton a choimead an caisleán go dtí gur tháinig Cromail go hÉirinn. Nuair a tháinig Ireton go Ros Cré sa bhliain 1650, ní raibh i bhfrithbheartaíocht na nGael ina aghaidh agus in aghaidh a athair céile ach ionsaithe treallchogaíocha. Bhí ceann de na fórsaí treallchogaíocha ba chumhachtaí lonnaithe in Uibh Fháillí, agus ba mhinic a chas siad ar an namhaid thart ar Ros Cré. Níor chuir siad stop, ach moilliú, leis an bplandáil dosheachanta agus déanadh plandáil ar Ros Cré sa bhliain 1653.
Forbairt Nua-aimseartha
De réir daonáirimh 1841 bhí daonra os cionn 9,000 ag Ros Cré, ach bhain an Ghorta Mór agus Eisimirceacht ón uimhir seo. Idir na blianta 1901 – 1961, áfach, d’fhás daonra an bhaile 45%, i measc na bhfás ba mhó sa tír. Chabhraigh an meitheal oibre a bhí ar fáil le fás tionsclaíochta sa cheantar. Bhí suíomh an bhaile ar an mbóthair ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go Luimneach cabhrach chomh maith. Sa lá atá inniu ann, is tionsclaíochtaí nua-aimseartha mar phróiseáil bhia agus ceimiceáin atá in áit na seantionsclaíochtaí ar nós an tionsclaíocht olla, grúdaireacht, driogadh agus súdaireacht.
Foinsí – Cunningham, "Roscrea and District"; Bassett, "Co. Tipperary"; Gleeson, "Roscrea"
Léigh níos mó faoi:
Brabhsáil an bailiúchán chártaí poist stairiúla:
Cluain Meala - Nenagh - Tipperary - Roscrea - Templemore - Carrick on Suir - Cashel - Cahir - Thurles - Gleann Eatharlaí
nuashonraithe ar: Tuesday, 03-Aug-2010 15:40:11 IST