Inauguration site

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument No. 263. The motte and bailey (LF010-080001-) is almost certainly the location of the inauguration place of O’Farrall clan (Bradley et al. 1985, 16; FitzPatrick 2004, 209). In 1475 Seán Ó Fearghail, Chief of Annaly, died here immediately after his inauguration feast and he was subsequently buried at the Cistercian abbey (LF011-036001-) in Abbeylara (Farrell 1891, 24). In 1489 the Lord Justice of Ireland divided the chieftainship of Annaly between the sons of Seán and the sons of Cathal (Farrell 1891, 24). Following the division of the sept and lands c. 1516, the O’Farralls (Bán) held the lordship of N Annaly, an area corresponding to the N and E of the modern county Longford (FitzPatrick 2004, 209), and retained the motte and bailey, Ráith Granaird (Granard), as their inauguration site. (Westropp 1904, 323-4; Kearney 1969, 18-23; English 1971, 152; Anon. 2002b, 144-5)

Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan, Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 17 April 2012

References

Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H. 1985 Urban archaeological survey - county Longford. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

FitzPatrick, E. 2004 Royal inauguration in Gaelic Ireland c.1100-1600: a cultural landscape study. Studies in Celtic History 22. Woodbridge. The Boydell Press.

Farrell, J.P. 1891 History of the county of Longford. Dublin. Dollard Printinghouse.

English, N.W. 1971 Field antiquities of County Longford. Journal of the Longford Historical Society 1(2), 146-55.

Kearney, P. 1969 Granard. Journal of the Longford Historical Society 1(1), 18-23.

Westropp, T.J. 1904 On Irish motes and early Norman castles. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 34, 313-43.