Aughagower or Aghagower ()
is a small village in rural
County Mayo in western
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. It is located about 6 km from
Westport. Aughagower has around 40 houses, 1 pub and a shop, with a clear view of
Croagh Patrick from Reek View. It also forms the centre of a
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
of the same name which covers an area of 86.1 square miles. The village is known for its links to Saint Patrick and Tóchar Phádraig, the pilgrimage route from Ballintubber Abbey to
Croagh Patrick.
History
Middle Ages
Aughagower came to prominence in 441 when St. Patrick founded a church and bishopric, and placed over it Bishop Senach; the
Book of Armagh
The ''Book of Armagh'' or Codex Ardmachanus (ar or 61) ( ga, Leabhar Ard Mhacha), also known as the ''Canon of Patrick'' and the ''Liber Ar(d)machanus'', is a 9th-century Irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in Latin. It is held by the L ...
states that bishops still dwelt there in the time of the writer (early part of the ninth century).
[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15079d.htm Catholic Encyclopaedia 1917] Senach was one of St. Patrick's closest followers, originally from Armagh, who traveled with him to Aughagower and Croagh Patrick as part of his household.
St. Patrick is recorded as having stayed in Aughagower where he built a church and anointed the parish's first bishop,
Senach
Saint Senach (also called Seanach, Seanoir, Senóir, Senior, c. 550 – 11 April 610) was the Bishop of Armagh, Ireland from 598 to 610.
Genealogy and birth
Saint Senach was a member of the Ui Nialláin clan, who were the rulers of the present ...
, on his journey to
Croagh Patrick. Aughagower lies mid-way along
Tóchar Phádraig, formerly a part of the royal processional route from
Cruachan (the ancient capital of
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...
), and later an important pilgrimage route from
Ballintubber Abbey
Ballintubber Abbey is an abbey 2 kilometres northeast of Ballintubber, Mayo in Ireland that was founded by King Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair in 1216.
History
Despite being suppressed and damaged during the Protestant Reformation, the roofles ...
to
Croagh Patrick. Senach founded a church, and his daughter Mathona, a nunnery. These were situated approximately 100 yards north of the medieval round tower and abbey, alongside the 'Temple of the Teeth' the site of an earlier stone church, presumed to have been built atop an original wooden church founded by St. Patrick.
[John Keville, 'Saints, Chieftains and Landlords' published in three parts in Cathair na Mart Vol.2, no.1, 1982; vol.3, no.1, 1983; vol.4, no, 1984.]
Since its formation by St. Patrick as a bishopric in the 5th century, Aughagower represented one of the most populous and influential parishes in
Umhaill. The jurisdiction of Aughagower extended over the "Owles", the territory around Clew Bay, comprising the modern deanery of
Westport. But after several centuries these churches and their lands were absorbed first into the Diocese of Mayo and afterwards granted to the Archbishop of Tuam.
The importance of the parish was still evident six centuries after St. Patrick departed, as seen when in 1215 competing claims by the Archbishops of Tuam and Armagh to the church and lands of Aughagower arose, with Pope Innocent in Rome being called upon to settle the dispute, and did so in favour of Tuam.
Early modern
The importance of Aughagower parish in these warring episodes is seen by the defensive forts of
Doon Castle in the townland of
Dooncastle and MacPhilbin's castle in Aille (ruins of both are still standing), which were controlled by the MacPhilbin (also rendered as McPhilipin) clan, a scion of the powerful Bourke family, descending from Philip, brother of
William Liath de Burgh
William Liath de Burgh (; ; died 1324) was an Irish noble and deputy Justiciar of Ireland (1308–09).
Background
De Burgh was a son of William Og de Burgh, who was killed at the Battle of Áth-an-Chip or Athankip in 1270, and a nephew of ...
(Bourke). The Bourkes initially battled fiercely with the Kingdom of Ireland forces. The revered
Grace O'Malley
Grace O'Malley ( – c. 1603), also known as Gráinne O'Malley ( ga, Gráinne Ní Mháille, ), was the head of the Ó Máille dynasty in the west of Ireland, and the daughter of Eóghan Dubhdara Ó Máille.
In Irish folklore she is commonly k ...
ga, Gráinne Ní Mháille of the powerful
O'Malley (surname)
O'Malley ( ga, Ó Máille ) is an Irish surname.
People
* Maille mac Conall of Umhaill
* Mary Ní Mháille (died 1525)
* Brian O'Malley (director), Irish film and television director
* Bryan Lee O'Malley (born 1979), comic book creator
* Conn ...
dynasty that ruled
Umhaill married into the Bourke family, with her second marriage, to
Risdeárd an Iarainn Bourke. In later centuries the Bourke family became part of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy, among their descendants were the Brownes of
Westport House
Westport House in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland, is a country house, historically the family seat of the Marquess of Sligo and the Brownes and designed by notable eighteenth century architects Richard Cassels, Thomas Ivory and James Wyatt. ...
, holding the titles of Earl of Altamount and Marquess of Sligo.
In the 15th and 16th centuries
Umhaill and Aughagower saw intense internecine struggles between warring clans and the Tudor
Kingdom of Ireland, led by Sir
Richard Bingham who sought to establish control of the area, forcing local clans such as the Bourke clan to submit their titles and claims of land to the monarchy, and swear allegiance to the crown, after which their lands would be re-granted to them for their loyalty, under the policy of
surrender and regrant
During the Tudor conquest of Ireland (c.1540–1603), "surrender and regrant" was the legal mechanism by which Irish clans were to be converted from a power structure rooted in clan and kin loyalties, to a late-feudal system under the English l ...
.
Late modern and contemporary
A great part of the population of the parish of Aughagower was lost in the
Great Famine, and traces of ruins of deserted houses exist in several parts of the parish.
The
Carrowkennedy ambush
The Carrowkennedy ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 2 June 1921,Price, Dominic ''The Flame and the Candle'' (Collins Press, 2012){{Cite web, url=http://www.centenarymayo.ie/?page_id=43, title=Mayo Historica ...
took place in
Carrowkennedy, in the south of Aughagower parish. One of the few encounters of the
Irish War of Independence to take place in
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...
, the
Carrowkennedy ambush
The Carrowkennedy ambush was an ambush carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 2 June 1921,Price, Dominic ''The Flame and the Candle'' (Collins Press, 2012){{Cite web, url=http://www.centenarymayo.ie/?page_id=43, title=Mayo Historica ...
was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 2 June 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. An IRA flying column, commanded by Michael Kilroy, ambushed a mobile patrol of the Royal Irish Constabulary Special Reserves (
Black and Tans
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have ...
) at Carrowkennedy, near Westport, County Mayo. It resulted in the deaths of eight of the RIC, including some who were killed by their own rifle grenade. After two hours the RIC surrendered and their weaponry and ammunition were seized by the IRA. The RIC prisoners were not executed, but released upon their surrender, and this led many members of the successful ambush to seek refuge in the network of safe-houses throughout the counties of Mayo and Galway.
Round tower and Abbey
![Aghagower Round Tower 2007 08 12](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Aghagower_Round_Tower_2007_08_12.jpg)
The ruins of a medieval church adjoins the graveyard of the town's modern Catholic church. It has a well-preserved tenth-century
Irish round tower
Irish round towers ( ga, Cloigtheach (singular), (plural); literally 'bell house') are early mediaeval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with two in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man. As their name indicates, they were origin ...
, with the exception of its topmost section and capstone.
The tower was built between 973 and 1013,
[Tóchar Phádraig A Pilgrims Progress - published by Ballintubber Abbey 1989] a period during which the
round tower
A fortified tower (also defensive tower or castle tower or, in context, just tower) is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications, such as castles, along with curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and fu ...
proliferated, wherein they provided a defensive vantage point, a place of safety for church riches and fortification against raids from the north by the Danish,
Norse-Gaels and raiding Irish clans.
According to legend, the round tower's capstone was struck by lightning, and landed half a mile away on the hill of Tavenish. A local woman is said to have carried the heavy cap stone in her apron to the church, where it still remains today
The tower was partly restored in 1969 and leans slightly to the north.
Ancient monuments and legends
There are a number of ancient monuments in Aughagower, some of which are locally reputed to trace their origin to the time of St. Patrick's ministry in the parish.
Leaba Phádraig (Patrick's bed) is said to have been a place where
St. Patrick rested, which it has been suggested may have housed a hut or tent, used in the daytime as place of work for St. Patrick.
[Brian Mannion, 'Aughagower and its Patrician sites and connections' published in 'Cathair na Mart, Journal of the Westport Historical Society, Vol. 8, No.1, 1988, pages 5-19]
Dabhach Phádraig (Patrick's vat or tub) is a circular bath surrounded by a stone wall, where pilgrims may have washed their feet, and which may have been used by St. Patrick and his household as a washing place. Due to local drainage the well is now dry except in extremely wet weather. A
sheela na gig (Irish: Sighle na gCíoch) was found in a nearby ditch, and the Mayo Historical Society organised for it to be fitted to the outside wall of Dabhach Phádraig in 2001. It was moved in 2017 to an internal wall for security and to make it easier to find (the light conditions affect how easily the figure can be made out), and it now forms part of Dabhach Phádraig's eastern wall.
St. Patrick's Knee is a small stone in the graveyard with a small recess carved out of it, which is filled with water. Local legend states that St. Patrick kneeled on this rock and left the imprint, and the water that gathers in it is thought to be holy.
Tobair na Deocháin (the Well of the Deacons), now dried up, was where pilgrims drank water while performing the pilgrimage. A tree growing over Dabhach Phádraig was said to have curative powers. The soil was applied in a poultice, and when the ailment was cured the soil must be returned.
[John Keville, 'Cathair na Mart Vol.2, no.1, 1982.]
Cloughundra (Also rendered as 'Cloch Andra'). There is a large stone of approximately 150 kg, named Cloughundra, which is currently on display on the village green. The local folk-tale states that there was once a giant in Aughagower who used to throw the stone over his shoulder and would throw it "as far as another man would send a pebble. The stone is there yet and the trace of his fingers in it. A great many strongmen spend their leisure time trying to lift the stone".
Leacht Tomaltaigh is an ancient monument on the Gorteen-Aughagower townland boundary, just south of where the Tóchar Phádraig passes. Its mythical origin relates to a tale from St. Patrick's time, that a man tested the claims of the generosity of St. Patrick's household, where nobody in need of food would be turned away. The housekeeper is said to have told himthat there was a cake in the oven, and that when it was baked he could have some. He pretended to be angry and left saying the claims of hospitality were untrue, after a few hundred yards he fell from his horse to his death and a monument was raised to mark the spot of his death. The explanation of the myth is unlikely for a number of reasons and it is thought that this monument marks the grave of one of St. Patrick's charioteers, Totmael ('bald poll') who is recorded in the Book of Armagh and The Tripartite Life of St. Patrick as having died whilst St. Patrick and his household were travelling to Croagh Patrick, along the Tóchar. The monument is still standing in its repaired and mortared form. It stands approximately 2.5 feet tall, although it was once a much larger monument, at a height of 6 feet.
Lankill Standing Stone is a
standing stone and
National Monument located in
County Mayo,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. It stands in a field west-southwest of Aughagower, south of
Knappaghbeg Lough.
Toberbrendan, an early monastic site, is immediately to the southwest. The stone possibly dates to the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
period but was Christianised centuries later with a cross carved on it. The purpose of standing stones is unclear; they may have served as boundary markers, ritual or ceremonial sites, burial sites or astrological alignments. The stone is a spike of
shale tall. On the west face is a cross with a V-shaped ornament beneath it, and on the east face is a Latin cross in a double circle and four concentric circles; this probably indicates a "
pagan" monument that was later appropriated by Christians.
Cloondacon is a
townland
A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic orig ...
in the Parish of Aughagower and
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 ...
of
Burrishoole in
County Mayo. It is bordered to the northeast by Mace South, to the south by Tevinish East, to the southwest by Aughagower, to the west by Gorteen, and to the northwest by the Deerpark. Cloondacon is situated on
Tochar Phádraig, the ancient route from
Ballintubber Abbey
Ballintubber Abbey is an abbey 2 kilometres northeast of Ballintubber, Mayo in Ireland that was founded by King Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair in 1216.
History
Despite being suppressed and damaged during the Protestant Reformation, the roofles ...
through Aughagower to
Croagh Patrick. The name Cluain Dá Chon refers to an ancient legend according to which a pagan chieftain set two
wolfhounds on
Saint Patrick. Instead of attacking Patrick, the hounds licked his hands. The chieftain was moved by this and became a Christian. According to an alternative version, St. Patrick made the sign of the cross over them, and the two hounds were swallowed up in an oval shaped hole called Poll na gCon (the hole of the hounds).
See also
*
List of towns and villages in Ireland
References
{{County Mayoc
Towns and villages in County Mayo