Frenchpark (barony)

Frenchpark (Irish: Dún Gar[1]) is a barony in County Roscommon, Republic of Ireland.

Frenchpark Dún Gar (Irish)
Barony
Douglas Hyde Centre, near Frenchpark
Barony map of County Roscommon, 1900; Frenchpark is coloured yellow, in the northwest.
Sovereign state	Republic of Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	Roscommon
Area
• Total	288.15 km^2 (111.25 sq mi)

Etymology

Frenchpark barony is named after Frenchpark town, which takes its name from the French (ffrench) family, powerful in the area from the 17th century onward, after Dominick French was granted 5,000 acres (20 km²) in the area in 1666.[2] The town was previously called Dún Gar, "hillfort of favour."

Geography

Frenchpark barony is located in the northwest of County Roscommon, south of Lough Gara.

History

This region was originally disputed between Magh Luirg and Airtech.[3] A sept of the Cíarraige were early lords of Airteach, which was later taken by the McDonaghs. The O'Flanagans here were hereditary stewards to the Kings of Connacht.[4]

Frenchpark barony was originally part of the Boyle barony; it was divided off, then lost two townlands to Roscommon barony and gained six from County Mayo in the Boundary Survey (Ireland) Act 1859.[5] The Frenches later became Barons de Freyne.[6]

List of settlements

Below is a list of settlements in Frenchpark barony:

• Frenchpark
• Lisacul
• Loughglinn

References

1. "Dún Gar/Frenchpark". Logainm.ie.
2. "Estate Record: French /ffrench (Frenchpark)". landedestates.nuigalway.ie.
3. "The Battle of Airtech - Translation [text]". www.ucd.ie.
4. http://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/baronie4.htm
5. "The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland: Adapted to the New Poor-law, Franchise, Municipal and Ecclesiastical Arrangements, and Compiled with a Special Reference to the Lines of Railroad and Canal Communication, as Existing in 1814-45". A. Fullarton and Company. 29 December 2018 – via Google Books.
6. "FFA Chart IREF, French Family of Frenchpark, Roscommon Co., Ireland". www.frenchfamilyassoc.com.