Glengad
Gleann an Ghad/Dún Ceartáin
Glengad/Dooncarton | |
---|---|
Village | |
Coordinates: 54°16′41″N 9°49′07″W / 54.27792°N 9.818702°W | |
Country | Ireland |
Province | Connacht |
County | County Mayo |
Glengad (
The village which is largely linear and without a main street, lies to the northwest and northeast of Dooncarton Hill in the parish of
It has a proliferation of prehistoric archaeology including several megalithic tombs of differing types including wedge, court and portal dolmens, and a well preserved stone circle in Baile Lecan.
Much of Glengad is a
Glengad is the proposed landfall site for the contentious pipeline from the
History
The name means "Glen of the Gads". Gads are
).Prior to the arrival of these displaced people the townland had been known as Dooncarton, a name which it took from the promontory fort known as Dún Chiortáin. Dún Chiortáin was a well-fortified cliff fort probably dating back to the Bronze Age. It is mentioned in the Composition Book of Connaught in 1585. It was then owned by William Burke who was 'attained of treason' in 1592. In 1610 the property was in the ownership of Michael Cormuck. According to Thomas Johnson Westropp in 1912 he was still in possession of it in 1641 and in 1655.
Westropp described Donncarton as being a well-fortified cliff fort about 170 in length by 100 feet wide. It contained several buildings of various sizes, built of stone and mortar. The walls of some of the buildings were at least six feet wide. All are now reduced to a few feet in height by the road and fence makers. The main house was forty seven feet by thirty six feet with six feet thick walls. The other houses had three feet thick walls. The fort stood on a grassy cliff between two creeks. It had a lovely view of the shores of Dun Chaochain and the mouth of Broadhaven to Erris Head.
According to the ancient legend, a hero named Fergus came on a plundering raid to Erris which was then owned by the giant Donnell who lived at Glencastle. Fergus came to Donnell's castle at Glencastle where he charmed Donnell's faithless wife, Munchin who gave him Donnell's favourite sword. When Donnell found out that he had been betrayed he went to his neighbour Ciortan (of Dún Chiortáin) for aid but he found Ciortan was out in his boat. He shouted to him to come and help him but Ciortain refused to come to his aid. Donnell hurled rocks at Ciortan's boat in anger and managed to sink it. Ciortan was drowned and he is buried at a Broadhaven Bay harbour known locally as Tra Kirtaan Bay (called after Ciortan) close to Barnatra.
Glengad has always been exposed to the elements of wind and ocean. There is an oft told incident that happened before the area was fenced, when the land was farmed in Rundale. During the harvest one year there was a violent storm. The next morning all the stooks of oats were found all together at the far end of the parish, piled one on top of another. The people had great difficulty trying to sort out what belonged to each of them.
During the early 19th century the Irish
Major landslide area
A major
The inspector from the
"From a visual inspection the damage is enormous, both on a personal, community and environmental level. The region has best been described as a ‘disaster area’ with serious consequences for the future. Millions of euros of damage were caused, and issues relating to housing, lands and environment will need to be addressed.
Radio and television footage of the region does not appear to have done justice to the widespread damage caused and the effect it has on individuals and on the community.
Immense volumes of peat, soil and stone were washed from the mountain into Sruwaddacon Bay and to a lesser extent into Carrowmore Lake. It is impossible to estimate the total amount, but would probably extend to many thousands of tons of earth.
Owing to the nature of damage caused, much more mountainside is exposed and therefore the bay is susceptible to receive more deposits as time progresses."
The Geological Survey of Ireland produced a report on reasons for the major landslide.[7]
In June 2010
Radar station
In 1999 a
See also
- Kilcommon
- Erris
References
- ^ a b "Dún Ceartáin nó Gleann an Ghad". Placenames Database of Ireland. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
- ^ "County Mayo SACs". Mayo County Council. Archived from the original on 31 January 2014.
- ^ "County Mayo SPAs". Mayo County Council. Archived from the original on 31 January 2014.
- ^ "County Mayo NHAs". Mayo County Council. Archived from the original on 31 January 2014.
- ^ "County Mayo SACs. NHAs, and SPAs". Mayo County Council. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
- ^ McGinley, Hugh (September 2003). "Flooding in the Glengad Region of County Mayo. 19-20 September 2003" (DOC). Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
- ^ Creighton, Ronnie; Verbruggen, Koenraad (October 2003). "Geological Report on the Pollatomish Landslide Area, Co. Mayo" (PDF). Geological Survey of Ireland. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
Sources
- Nolan, R. Within the Mullet (1997) Longford
- Noone, Fr. Sean, Where the Sun Sets (1997) Pollathomas
- Stonepages
- Westropp, T. J. Promontory Forts of Erris (1912) Dublin