Shrule (, also

anglicised Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

to ''Shruel'', usage deprecated) is a village on the N84 road in

County Mayo County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...

in Ireland. The county boundary between Mayo and

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

follows the course of the Black River on the south side of the village. The ruin of

Shrule Castle Shrule Castle () is a ruined tower house near Shrule in County Mayo, Ireland. The castle was built c.1238, near the Black River at the County Mayo and County Galway border by the de Burgh family. It was given to John de Burgh in 1308 by hi ...

, a fortification built by the

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

de Burgo family, dominates the view of the village as approached from the Galway side. Although there is a gate to get into it, the ruin is unsafe and closed to the public.

History

1570 The battle of Shrule

Connacht in the 1570s was divided between English control and Irish clans and families. The two branches of the Burke family, the MacWillams of Mayo and the Clanricardes of Galway, held a lot of territory and influence. The two branches fought with each other and with neighbouring clans, leading to the Elizabethian Lord Deputy of Ireland

Henry Sidney Sir Henry Sidney (20 July 1529 – 5 May 1586), Lord Deputy of Ireland, was the eldest son of Sir William Sidney of Penshurst, a prominent politician and courtier during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, from both of whom he received ...

to appoint a new Lord President to the province, Edward Fitton, to regain control. After breaking out from a siege in Galway, he besieged Shrule Castle with the support of Richard Burke,

Earl of Clanricarde Earl of Clanricarde (; ) is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland, first in 1543 and again in 1800. The former creation became extinct in 1916 while the 1800 creation is extant and held by the Marquess of Sligo since 191 ...

. On the 21st of June, the MacWilliam Burkes and their allies provoked a set-piece battle against the besieging forces. Fitton was dug in around the castle, and the MacWillams lined up their infantry and dismounted cavalry uphill from the defences. Fitton refused to budge from behind the siegeworks, so the enemy decided to attack. They pushed through the cannon and musket fire, hitting the besiegers with momentum. The besiegers broke and started to run for their camp a few miles away. The MacWilliam infantry followed closely to push their advantage, but this allowed Fitton and his cavalry to get behind them and attack the usually exposed rear. However, the MacWilliams held their shape in the face of this onslaught, until their own cavalry could pour in. A very tough fight broke out. Fitton was badly injured in the face, and his troop's ammunition was beginning to give out. He was rescued when the MacWilliams disengaged and marched northwards from the field in formation. The battle was inconclusive, the Mac Williams caused more casualties but did not remain in place to benefit strategically. Fitton could later take Shrule castle and slaughter the defending garrison. The castle afterwards passed into the possession of William Burke of the Clanricharde Burkes.

1642 Massacre of Protestant refugees

On 18 February 1642, during the Confederate War that followed the 1641 uprising, a number of English settlers, including a Dr. John Maxwell, the Protestant bishop of

Killala Killala () is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West (known locally as Enagh Beg), which contains a number of ancient ...

, surrendered to Irish authorities at

Castlebar Castlebar () is the county town of County Mayo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Developing around a 13th century castle of the de Barry family, de Barry family, from which the town got its name, the town now acts as a social and economic focal poi ...

, in the hope of saving their lives.Richard Bagwell (1909) ''From Ireland under the Stuarts and during the interregnum'' Volume 2, Longmans, Green, 1909. p. 6 Shruel

After staying at Shrule Castle in the company of Miles Bourke, 2nd

Viscount Mayo Viscount Mayo is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland, both times for members of the Bourke family. The first creation came in 1627 in favour of Tiobóid na Long Bourke, 1st Viscount Mayo, Tiobóid na Long Bourke, also k ...

, Sheriff of

, for more than a week, the group was given an escort with orders to take them 14 miles toward the border of County Mayo and County Galway, where other forces would assume the escort duty and take them on to the Galway fort. After provisioning the Maxwell family with horses, Lord Mayo set out for Cong. Mayo handed over his prisoners at Shrule, on the border, as his authority only existed in County Mayo. Edmond Bourke, an Irish soldier who led the escort duty, and a cousin of Lord Mayo, then directed his men to begin killing their settler charges. Estimates of the dead ranged from less than 30 to as many as 65. Survivors were taken to

Headford Headford () is a small town in County Galway, located 26 km north of Galway city in the west of Ireland. It is an angling centre for the eastern shore of Lough Corrib, and Greenfields, approximately 6.5 km west of the town, is its b ...

by monks from Ross Errilly. Though Mayo's son Theobald (later 3rd viscount Mayo) tried to save some prisoners, and had to be driven away, he was executed in 1653 by an English

Cromwellian Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in History of England, English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 ...

inquiry for complicity in the killings that was held after the

Cromwellian conquest of Ireland The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland or Cromwellian war in Ireland (1649–1653) was the re-conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell invaded Ireland wi ...

.Lord Mayo's deposition of Nov. 1652
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Religion

Saint Joseph's Church in Shrule is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

church in the

Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora The Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora ( ga, Deoise na Gaillimhe, Chill Mhic Duaich agus Chill Fhionnúrach) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the west of Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Tuam and is subject ...

Education

The village has one pre-school, one primary school, and no second-level school. Second-level students usually attend

Presentation College Headford Presentation College Headford is a secondary school for boys and girls in Headford, County Galway in Ireland. The school serves the town of Headford and its hinterland. It is partnered with Dundonald High School, Belfast, in Northern Irelan ...

which is seven kilometres away in

Sports

Shrule-Glencorrib GAA is the village's main sports club.

People

The Mortimer brothers Conor, Trevor and Kenneth have all appeared for the Mayo County Senior Football team.

Conor Mortimer Conor Mortimer (born 23 May 1982) is a Gaelic football manager and former player. He was a corner forward and has played at senior level for the Mayo county team, Connacht provincial team in the Railway Cup and club football for Shrule-Glenc ...

was named on the team of the year and was chosen as an All Star in 2006. Kenneth received All Stars in 1996 and 1997. Trevor was named as team captain for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Christopher O'Dowd, a native of Shrule, was an original member of the

Special Air Service The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling and in 1950, it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terro ...

British regiment.

References

Sources

The Dublin Penny Journal, Volume 1, Number 33, 9 February 1833
at Library Ireland

Notes

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Towns and villages in County Mayo