For the ethnic roots of McAlasdrum, we must go back in time to Irish pre-history and the ancient Ulster kingdom of Dal Riada. The territory of Dal Riada lay along the north and east coasts of Antrim, the Western Isles of Scotland and the west coast of Scotland. It flourished as an independent Gaelic kingdom through to the 12th century when it’s Scottish territories were incorporated into the Kingdom of Scotland. The Antrim territories were in the kingdom of Ireland. Continue reading “McAlasdrum – Sir Alasdair McColla Ciotach McDonnell”
Category: KNOCKNANUSS
Knocknanuss 1647-1997, 350 Year Commememoration
The following is an account from a local newspaper, The Corkman, of the special event that was organised by the Castlemagner Historical Society to commemorate the Battle of Knocknanuss on 17 August 1997. Shane Scanlon wrote the article.
A FAMOUS piece of North Cork history was recalled at the weekend when a special ceremony was held in Castlemagner to commemorate Munster’s biggest ever battle.
The fields of Knocknanuss might now be a picture of calm and serenity but 350 years ago, they were the location of one of Ireland’s bloodiest battles. The Battle of Knocknanuss saw some fierce fighting between the Parliamentary forces under Lord Inchiquin and the Confederate forces of Lord Theobald Taaffe – claiming the lives of 3,500 soldiers during November 1647.
Three and half centuries later, people from home and abroad gathered at the site to celebrate peace and reconciliation. Douglas Kerr represented the British Ambassador, Veronica Sutherland, at the commemoration while there was a large gathering of community and army representatives, as well as historians. Continue reading “Knocknanuss 1647-1997, 350 Year Commememoration”
The Battle of Knocknanuss
Knocknanuss is a townland in the northwestern end of the parish of Castlemagner in the barony of Duhallow, Co. Cork. It was the site of the bloodiest battle of the whole course of the English civil war and was between the Munster-based supporters of Charles I (the “Royalists”) and supporters of Parliament (the “Parliamentarians”). The battle was fought on Saturday, November 24, 1647, between 2pm and 5pm. Continue reading “The Battle of Knocknanuss”