Garrycastle () is a

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

County Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland, ancient Kingdom of Uí ...

(formerly King's County),

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Etymology

The name Garrycastle is from the townland Garrycastle (''Garraí an Chaisleáin'', "court of the castle"; located south of

Banagher Banagher ( or ) is a town in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, located in the midlands, on the western edge of County Offaly in the province of Leinster, on the banks of the River Shannon. The town had a population of 3,000 at the height of its ...

), the site of Castle Garden House and earlier fortresses.

Location

Garrycastle is located in westernmost

, on the east bank of the Shannon and containing most of the lower Brosna valley. The

Little Brosna River The Little Brosna River () rises near Dunkerrin, County Offaly, Ireland. It flows for 36 miles before joining the River Shannon. Course The river rises near Dunkerrin, and flows near Birr; it forms part of the boundary between County Offaly ...

marks its southern bounds.

History

Garrycastle was the ancient territory of the Delbna Ethra, represented in later times by the Mac Cochláin (MacCoughlan) sept. They were lords of Ahra, and chiefs of Delvin MacCoughlan. The Colgan family was also centered in this barony, as was the Mac Uallacháin (MacCuolahan) sept of Muintir Cionaetha. The Ó Maoileoin (O'Malone) sept is cited with early events involving

Clonmacnoise Clonmacnoise or Clonmacnois (Irish language, Irish: ''Cluain Mhic Nóis'') is a ruined monastery in County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Ciarán, ...

in the northwest corner of this barony. Ó Madagain or Ó Madadhain (O'Madagan or O'Madden) of the Clan Colla are given as chiefs of

Síol Anmchadha Síol Anmchadha () was a sub-kingdom or lordship of Uí Maine, and ruled by an offshoot of the Uí Maine called the Síol Anmchadha (''"the seed of Anmchadh"''), from whom the territory took its name. It was located in Connacht, Ireland. Hist ...

just west of here in the barony of Longford in County Galway.Ireland's History in Maps: The Baronies of Ireland
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List of settlements

Below is a list of settlements in Garrycastle: * Ballycumber *

* Cloghan * Ferbane * Pollagh * Shannonbridge

References

Baronies of County Offaly {{Offaly-geo-stub