Welcome to Macroom

Day 2,451, 18:55 • Published in Ireland Ireland • by Paddy OBrien







Welcome to Macroom. It is a market town in the valley of the River Sullane of County Cork, lying roughly half way between Cork and Killarney. Traditionally, Macroom is known as "the town that never raised a fool."



According to folk lore, Macroom began as a meeting place for the Druids of Munster. It is first mentioned in records from the 6th century. This area has been the site of many conflicts over the years, including a major battle involving Brian Boru around 1014. This helped lead to Brian becoming King of Munster and the eventual defeat of the Vikings. Following centuries brought invasion and attack by warring families, including the Murcheatach Uí Briain and Richard de Cogan clans. During the 1650's, there was a major battle involving the forces of Cromwell and King Charles, leading to the castle being handed over to Admiral Sir William Penn in 1656. Admiral Penn is also known as the father of William Penn, the founder of the US state of Pennsylvania.

The 17th century saw the MacCarthy family taking power and bringing prosperity to the area with milling, markets, and fairs. Unfortunately, this prosperity was short lived and followed by the Williamite Wars of the 1690's. During that time, control of Macroom Castle passed back and forth between the MacCarthy's and ambitious English families seeking power in the region.

The castle was burned during the Civil War, and the grounds purchased after the war by a group of Macroom businessmen to be held in trust for the people of the town.



The population was decimated in the 1840s by famine and emigration, the former evidenced by the remains of a workhouse, now the district hospital, and a mass graveyard to the west, near Clondrohid. During the 19th century a number of Anglo-Irish families settled in the area but many of their estate houses were burned out by rebels during and after the Irish War of Independence as the town was caught up in a turmoil of IRA activity. Eventually the Anglo-Irish families fled, leaving behind tracts of land that were, in the end, distributed among the wealthier of their former tenants.



Today, Macroom is a lovely town along the river, popular with tourists and serving as a market hub for the area. The Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays, offering many locally grown and produced items. Macroom is twinned with the Breton town of Bubry and Marcallo con Casone in Italy.



Geraldine O'Grady from Macroom won the Rose of Tralee in 1999. She was the third Cork Rose to win the title. She is currently working on a blues album, while remaining involved in the arts.



If you are blessed with the opportunity to visit lovely Macroom, you will find many things to do there. These range from some very lovely biking treks, walking the Castle Demesne (one of the largest urban parks in the world), and enjoying excellent fishing on the Rivers Lee and Sullane. While here, I would suggest a stay in the lovely Castle Hotel on Main Street with a bite and a pint in the Auld Triangle.

I hope you have enjoyed this visit to Macroom, where I am blessed to make my ehome at my ancestral cottage. If your travels bring you through the area, feel free to drop in for a pint and pipe.