Road - road/trackway

The National Monuments Service's description

Following a meandering and intermittently traceable route around the SE base of the Burren uplands, from Leamaneh Castle (CL016-032003-) at the W at least as far as Kiltacky townland to the NE. Named ‘Sir Donat’s Road’ on both the first (1842) and Cassini (1920) editions of the OS 6-inch map where sections of the route are indicated by a mixture of solid and dashed lines.

 

This 17th-century road was built under the auspices of Donough (‘Donat’) O’Brien, 1st Baronet of Leameneh (1642–1717). Westropp (1900, 406-7) described it as a long road or lane-way which extended E from the main road (the current R476) between Leamaneh Castle (CL016-032003-) and Corofin: ‘The long-walled avenue, with the piers of two other gateways [CL016-045---- and CL016-050----], is seen as we drive towards Corofin, and a long road leads thence for many miles eastward, and bears in several places the name “Sir Donat’s-road”’. 

 

On the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map, the westernmost extant section of the road is shown branching ENE from the main Leamaneh-Corofin road at the S edge of Parknabinnia townland (at c. ITM 525569, 692391). However, this section of the road (L c. 500m) is no longer visible at ground level and appears to have been entirely obscured or removed (to c. ITM 526062, 692429). 

 

From there, in Leana townland, the line of the road (L c. 530m) is traceable only in part, indicated mostly by surviving field boundaries, and running immediately S of the townland boundary with Bunnagat North (to c. ITM 526560, 692360). 

 

It continues, initially following the Bunnagat North townland boundary, in current use, tarred and meandering NE for c. 850m (to c. ITM 527227, 692850). 

 

Satellite imagery (MapGenie 1995-2018) suggests that along its next section (L c. 425m) its line may only be preserved in a short length of relict field boundary wall (to c. ITM 527521, 693060). 

 

It then continues ENE (L c. 460m) as a partly overgrown, partly rutted green laneway (Wth 2.5m) lined by drystone walls (H 0.7-1m) on either side (to c. ITM 527956, 693168), the eastern end of which runs parallel and N of a section of the townland boundary with Monanallen.

 

From here, running ENE (L c. 1.4km) short sections of one side of the road are preserved intermittently in surviving field boundaries as it crosses into Carrownamadra townland (where it turns sharply NNE), as far as Rinnamona townland where its line meets a modern byroad running NNE-SSW (at c. ITM 529262, 693793). 

 

Then the road turns very sharply SE to run through Rinnamona village, where its line is recorded as ‘Sir Donat’s Road’ on the OS 25-inch plan (1897) and the Cassini edition (1920) of the OS 6-inch map and shown as a meandering road or broken series of trackways (partly traceable, through surviving roads and field boundaries) running first SE and then turning sharply E and continuing ENE, crossing Knockaunroe (E.D. Glenroe) townland as far as Poundtown. 

 

From Poundtown, it appears to run roughly E into Gortlecka townland before turning SE to meet the townland boundary with Aghlish (at c. ITM 532399, 693427) where the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map records  ‘Sir Donat’s Road’ turning sharply NE, following the townland boundary and bending to run immediately S around a cashel (CL017-050----) and continuing on NE into Magheranraheen or Rockforest townland before joining the modern road (R460) near the townland boundary with Treanmanagh  (at c. ITM 534943, 694509). 

 

The Cassini edition (1920) of the OS 6-inch map names ‘Sir Donat’s Road’ continuing NE on the line of the modern R460 towards Gort along which it appears to run for c. 1.9km through Aughrim townland before turning sharply N between Rockfleet Lough and Lough Bunny (at c. ITM 536305, 695678) to run for c. 3.2km N – through Kylecreen townland, parallel to the townland boundary with Aughrim, and passing immediately W of ‘Moherlebaun’ cashel (CL011-010----), its line flanked on either side by exposed limestone pavement and hazel scrub - to Kiltacky Beg townland where it crosses a minor N-S running road (at c. ITM 536588, 698694) and then meanders for a short distance NW as far as ruined church (CL011-003001-) and graveyard (CL011-003002-) in Kiltacky More townland. From this church, ‘Sir Donat’s Road’ is recorded on the OS mapping running NW (L c. 550m) parallel and to the SW of the modern road (to c. ITM 535635. 699707).

 

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott

 

Date of upload:  9-10-2025

References

Westropp, T.J. 1900 Excursions of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Summer meeting, 1900. Description of the places visited. Section III. Third excursion; Section IV. Fourth Excursion. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 10, 392-419; 420-26.

Robinson, T. 1977 (reprint 1999) The Burren: a two-inch map of the uplands of North-West Clare. Map Scale 1:31680. Roundstone: Folding Landscapes.