Donamon Castle facts for kids
Donamon Castle, also known as Dunamon Castle (which means "fort of Iomán" in Irish), is one of the oldest buildings in Ireland where people still live today. It stands on a raised area looking over the River Suck in County Roscommon. This historic castle has seen many changes and different owners over hundreds of years.
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A Look Back at Donamon Castle's History
Donamon Castle has a very long and interesting past. It started as a simple fort and grew into the strong castle we see today.
Early Days and First Records
Long ago, there was a fort on this spot. This is why it's called Dún Iomáin, meaning "fort of Iomán." The very first time Donamon was written about was in 1154. This record is found in an old book called the Annals of the Four Masters, which tells stories and events from early Irish history.
Who Lived Here First?
For a long time, Donamon was the home of the Ó Fionnachta family. They were important leaders of a group called Clann Chonnmhaigh. This family was a big part of the history of Connacht, a province in Ireland.
Norman Knights and Irish Chiefs
In 1232, a Norman knight named Adam de Staunton made the fort stronger. This was part of the Norman conquest, when people from Normandy (in France) came to take control of Ireland. But the very next year, the native O'Connors, an Irish family, fought back. They took the castle and pulled down its new defenses.
The castle was rebuilt, and in 1294, another Norman, de Oddingseles, moved in. After he died, the de Birminghams took over. But the O'Connors destroyed the castle again! By 1307, a branch of the Burke family, known as the MacDavids, became the new owners. The MacDavid Burkes lived in Donamon Castle for about 300 years.
Later Owners and Changes
During the 1600s, a time of many wars and land changes in Ireland, the Caulfeild family took ownership of the castle and the land around it. They kept the castle for many years, even during the time known as the Protestant Ascendancy, when Protestant families held a lot of power in Ireland.
A Training Camp for the IRA
In late 1932, Donamon Castle was used in a different way. A group called the Irish Republican Army (IRA) took over the castle. They used it as a training camp for their members. This was a time of political change in Ireland.
New Life with the Divine Word Missionaries
In 1939, a group of missionaries called the Divine Word Missionaries came to Ireland. They bought Donamon Castle from the Irish Land Commission, which was a government body dealing with land. The missionaries built new buildings around the castle. They created a campus to train people before they went to work in other countries.
Today, the castle is still the home of the Divine Word Missionaries in Ireland. The training campus they built is now managed by the Irish Wheelchair Association. It is used as a National Holiday Centre, providing a place for people with disabilities to enjoy holidays.
