It might seem strange to preface the story of the history of Castlemagner with a picture of ‘The Castle Bar’ – more fondly known as Geoff’s. However, there is method to the madness. Up until 1980 the proprietor of The Castle Bar was one Eddie O’Donoghue. He spent a lifetime gathering and recounting local history & folklore. This love for history was also in the blood of his sons, Denis & Geoff. Over a period of years (read decades) they formally researched, recorded and compiled what they could of the history of Castlemagner.
Denis captured the fruit of his work in two books that were published locally. The first, ‘Castlemagner’, provided a detailed history of the place from earliest recorded habitation of the area. The second was a rigoursly researched and detailed account of the bloodiest battle of the English civil war, ‘THE BATTLE OF KNOCKNANUSS‘.
In parallel with this, Geoff continued to collect and record the documented and folklore history that is scattered throughout the parish of Castlemagner. These notes, accounts, images & photographs were editted and formatted to make them available online.
So, on the one hand the informaton presented here is the fuit of a labour of love by two brothers from a family immersed in the richness of local history & folklore. However, it is also a testament to the local people of Castlemagner who safeguarded this valuable heritage in their story telling and music.
Front Left; Ed O’Donoghue and Pat Houlihan.
Back Row; Hugh Bourke, Ann Colman, Noreen Bourke, Geoff O’Donoghue, Sheila Kelleher, Bridie O’Mahony,
Maureen Cronin, Maureen Cronin, Margaret Aherne, Andy Bourke, Paddy Cronin and Denis O’Donoghue