Newtowncashel

Newtowncashel (Irish: Baile Nua an Chaisil, meaning "new town of the fort")[1] is a village located near Lough Ree in County Longford, Ireland. It is within the townland of Cornadowagh. Newtowncashel won the Irish Tidy Towns Competition in 1980.[2]

Newtowncashel

Baile Nua an Chaisil
Village
Newtowncashel
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°35′11″N 7°56′21″W
CountryIreland
ProvinceLeinster
CountyCounty Longford

History

Situated on the north-eastern shore of Lough Ree on the River Shannon, Newtowncashel was previously known as Cor na Dumhca in Irish - an ancient name meaning the 'Round Hill of the Cauldron'.[3] Two historical sites in the Newtowncashel area are Inis Clothrann (or Quakers Island) where St Diarmuid founded an abbey in 540 AD, and Saints' Island where St Kevin founded a monastery in 544 AD. The ruins of the old parish church, St Catherine's, are on the side of Cashel Hill overlooking Lough Ree.[3]

Amenities
Woods and greenspaces

Culnagore Wood (Wood of the Oak) covers an area of 90 acres along the edge of Lough Ree. Carrowmore Wood is a forest of pine and spruce on a hill within the parish. A short distance from the town is Lough Slawn, which is surrounded by meadows and bog lands.[3] Cashel Commons ('The Ranch') is a 200 acre commonage which has several walking routes.[4]

Mass rocks

Lady Well is situated in the townland of Derrydarragh. The Penal Laws, which outlawed Catholic observances, meant the people of Cashel assembled for worship outside, at mass rocks close to Lady Well and at Derryhaun.[3]

Harbour and islands

Barley Harbour is cut-limestone harbour located outside the village on the lakeshore.[5]

Four groups of islands are in the parish of Cashel: the Black Islands; Clawinch, Priests' Island and Inis Clothrann. St Diarmuid founded a monastery on Inis Clothrann around 540 AD. On Saints' Island are the ruins of an Augustinian monastery that survived until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century. A canon named Augustine McGradion (Uighistin Mag Ráidhin) compiled the Annals of [All] Saints (Annales Prioratus Insulae Omnium SS) in this monastery in the 15th century.[6] This island can now be accessed via a causeway.[7]

Castles

Five castles are recorded in the parish of Cashel: Elfeet, Caltramore, Corool, Portanure and the castle of Baile Nui (Newtown).[7] The ruins of Elfeet Castle can still be seen. George Calvert, the owner of a 15th-century tower house in the area, became governor of the province (later state) of Maryland and founder of Baltimore in America.[4]

References
  1. "Baile Nua an Chaisil / Newtown Cashel". Logainm.ie. Placenames Commission. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  2. "The Tidy Towns of Ireland "Celebrating 50 years"" (PDF). Tidytowns.ie. p. 82. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2012.
  3. "Parish History". Newtowncashel.ie. Archived from the original on 25 October 2013.
  4. "Community - Towns & Villages - Newtowncashel". Longford County Council. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  5. "Attractions - Barley Harbour". Longfordtourism.ie. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  6. "Annals of [all] Saints' Island on Lough Ree". Encyclopedia of the Medieval Chronicle. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  7. "Towns & Villages - Newtowncashel". Longfordtourism.ie. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
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