Granard

Granard (Irish: Gránard) is a town in the north of County Longford, Ireland, and has a traceable history going back to AD 236. It is situated just south of the boundary between the watersheds of the Shannon and the Erne, at the point where the N55 national secondary road and the R194 regional road meet.

History

The town has been a centre of population since Celtic times, probably because of its elevated position offering a view over the surrounding countryside. It is mentioned in the ancient Irish epic, the Táin Bó Cuailgne, as being one of the places where Queen Medb and her army stopped on their journey to take the Donn Cuailnge (the Brown Bull of Cooley). The name of the town is itself so ancient as to be unclear even in Irish; the 11th-century writers of the Lebor na hUidre (containing the oldest written version of the Táin) refer to it by means of a gloss as "Gránairud Tethba tuaiscirt .i. Gránard indiu" ("Gránairud of northern Teathbha, i.e. Gránard of today"). According to the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick, Patrick appointed Guasacht, a son of his former master Milchú, as first bishop of Granard, but the diocese did not survive as a separate entity. The surname Sheridan was first recorded in Granard in the 8th century.

Granard (barony)

Granard (Irish: Gránard) is a barony in County Longford, Republic of Ireland.

Etymology

Granard barony derives its name from the village of Granard (Irish Gránard, possibly meaning "sun height" or "corn height").

Location

Granard barony is located in northeastern County Longford and contains Lough Gowna and many other lakes.

History

Anciently Granard barony was part of a territory known as Cairpre Gabra, alias Corpre Tethbae, or North Teffia. O'Ronan (Ó Ronáin) were chieftains in the barony of Granard until dispossessed by the O'Farrells (Uí Fhearghail) in the 13th century The barony was formed from the territory of Clanshane (Granard, Abbeylara, and part of Colmcille parishes), and from the territory of Slewcarberie (Clonbroney and part of Colmcille parishes). The Muintir Géradháin were located on the west bank of Lough Gowna, where Ó Geradhain (Gaynor, MacGinver) is mentioned as lord here in the 11th century.

List of settlements

Below is a list of settlements in Granard barony:

Granard (Parliament of Ireland constituency)

Granard was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.

History

In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Granard was not represented.

Members of Parliament, 1679–1801

1689–1801

Notes

References

Bibliography