Rossport

Rossport (Irish: Ros Dumhach; also known as Rosdoagh) is a Gaeltacht village and townland in northwest County Mayo, Ireland. It is within the barony of Erris and parish of Kilcommon. It lies close to the mouth of Broadhaven Bay on the headland where the confluence of three rivers meet (the Muingnabo, the Glenamoy and the Gweedaney) flowing into Sruth Fada Conn Bay. Its area is 1,446 acres (5.85 km²).

History

In 1636 the Barrett clan owned Rossport.

Bournes

About the year 1707, Thomas Bournes, a Cromwellian from Co. Sligo was granted Rossport and neighbouring Muingnabo from Arthur Shaen. In 1727 he transferred his interest in Rossport to his brother George, who settled in the townland in 1756. Two other branches of the Bournes family had settled in Stonefield and Portacloy, two townlands on the Dún Chaocháin peninsula. The old Protestant graveyard well-hidden on the hillside above the village bears testament to the Protestant past of the townland. Like other landlords, the Bournes had tenants. While some landlords treated their tenants despicably, it would appear from reports that the Bournes treated their tenants with some compassion. Another George Bournes, probably a great grandson of the original man referred to previously, is reported to have written to the Protestant Bishop of Killala requesting relief for the starving tenants. The bishop got several tons of meal and potatoes and George received some of it for his tenants.