Croom Castle facts for kids
Croom Castle, also known as Crom Castle, is a very old and important castle in Croom, County Limerick, Ireland. It was once a main home for a powerful family called the FitzGeralds. This family was known as the Kildare branch of the FitzGerald dynasty. Their famous war cry, "Crom a Boo," which means "Crom forever" in Irish, comes from this very castle! Before the FitzGeralds, another old family, the O'Donovans, had a fortress here. The castle is built on a special bend in the River Maigue. This is why its name, Cromadh, means "bend in the river."
The O'Donovan Family and Early Fortifications
For a long time, the land where Croom Castle stands belonged to an ancient group called the Uí Cairpre Áebda. The O'Donovans were the most important family among them. This area was located between two rival kingdoms, Desmond and Thomond.
Around the late 1100s or early 1200s, a man named Dermot O'Donovan might have built the first fortress at Croom. This was to protect land they had recently gained. However, the O'Donovan family was linked to Croom even earlier. An old manuscript from the 1130s mentions an O'Donovan ancestor, Uaithne mac Cathail, and connects him to "Cromadgh," an old spelling for Croom.
Some stories say that an O'Donovan leader named Crom Ua Donnabáin, who lived in the 1200s, built the castle. His nickname was "The Bent." But historians have often said that this link is not true.
An old record from around 1690 talks about the O'Donovans. It says they built the famous Castle of Croom. Later, the Earl of Kildare took over the castle. This is how the Earl got his motto, "Crome aboo."
One part of the O'Donovan family has lived in Croom almost continuously for over 800 years. Their current farm has been in their family for more than 400 years. However, they have not lived in the tower castle since the Earls of Kildare moved in.
It is thought that the tower castle was built in the early 1200s. This happened after earlier attacks on the town. For example, in 1151, an attack burned Cromadh and many cows were taken.
Today, Croom Castle is mostly a ruin. Only two walls of the tower are still standing. They are about half their original height. The other two walls have fallen into a large pile of rocks and bricks.
What Does "Crom a Boo" Mean?
The motto of the FitzGerald family is "Crom-a-boo." This phrase comes from the Irish words "Crom Abu." It means "Crom forever!" It shows their strong connection to Croom Castle.
