Historic town

The National Monuments Service's description

The following description of this monument is taken from 'The Urban Archaeological Survey of County Limerick' compiled by John Bradley, Andrew Halpin and Heather A. King (Office of Public Works, 1985).

"Shanagolden is situated twenty miles west of Limerick city close to the Shannon estuary on the Foynes road. Referred to as Sengualainn in the twelfth century history Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh the placename appears to mean "old shoulder"; perhaps an allusion to the hill on which the village stands. The mention of Shanagolden in the Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh is its first appearance in history. This source tells us that a battle was fought here in 968 between Mahon, king of Munster, and the Norsemen of Limerick and Waterford (Todd 1867, 9). The lands of Shanagolden or-Sengola, as it is termed in later documents, appear to have belonged to the diocese of Limerick in Anglo-Norman times (MacCaffrey 1907, 26) but whether they formed part of the pre-Norman diocesan lands or not is unknown. It was granted by Bishop Hubert de Burgh to the canons and vicars of St. Mary's, Limerick, between 1225 and 1250 (ibid., 46) but it seems to have functioned during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as -an episcopal manor. A rental of the manor, made in 1336, survives in the Black Book of Limerick and this states that the burgesses of Seanguala rendered 100s annually to the bishop (ibid., 159). This reference indicates that the settlement was a borough. Its history after 1336, however, is unknown. It is to be presumed that, in conjunction with many other Limerick boroughs, it was deserted in the later middle ages. The present street pattern is linear and consists of one main street running from north to south east. It is unclear, however, if this street follows the line of its medieval predecessor or not. The absence of references to Shanagolden in the later middle ages would lead one to believe that the settlement was abandoned. It is likely then that the present street pattern is of post-medieval origin."
Compiled by: Denis Power

Date of upload: 26 August 2011