History of Sligo
Sligo town in northwest Ireland is the second largest town in Connacht and the county town of County Sligo. It has an urban history going back to the 13th century, and a history of settlement going back at least to the Neolithic era. The modern town developed on the Sligeach (Garavogue) river, within the territory named Cairbre Droma Cliabh. The history of Sligo town is a remarkably turbulent, colourful and varied one.
It is unique in Ireland as the only large medieval town to have been under Gaelic Irish control throughout the Middle Ages, from around 1300 to 1600 AD.
Location
The civilisation of the area centred on the great bay of Sligo (Inbher mBúadha) since the beginning of human settlement in the area. Strategic as it is between Lough Gill and the sea and on the coastal corridor that forms the main route between Ulster and Connacht.
That there were woods along the Sligo river is mentioned in Tírecháns Life of Patrick, when the saint prophesied that in later times the sea would force people to move to this location.
Early Sligo
see Archaeology of County Sligo
Little is known of what kind of settlement existed here in prehistory, but that the population density of the area was relatively high from the Mesolithic and especially Neolithic periods is shown by the profusion of archaeological sites within and around the town. For example the extensive early Neolithic cemetery at Carrowmore, an outlier of which is within the town. The oldest known causewayed enclosure in Britain and Ireland is situated on the southwestern outskirts of the town at Magheraboy.
That the area was known to Greek and Roman trading vessels is shown by its inclusion on Ptolemy's co-ordinate map of the 2nd century AD, where it is marked as the town of Nagnata. This is the only town marked on the west coast of Ireland by Ptolemy.[1]
By the twelfth century AD there was a bridge and a small settlement in existence. The Irish territory within which the settlement was placed was called Cairbre Drom Cliabh Críoch Cairbre. Another, older name, according to Acallamh na Sénorach was Críoch an Cosnámha (The District of Contention).
Foundation of Norman Sligo
With the Norman invasion of Connacht in 1236 AD by the French speaking Cambro-Norman knights, known as Galls (Gauls) to the Irish. Maurice Fitzgerald It was also accessible by sea, and a sheltered port, which was vital to Norman military tactics as they, descendants of Vikings, relied on amphibious operations to supply and reinforce.
The Normans took advantage of political divisions already in existence. Sligo was on the frontier between the ancient provinces of Ulster and Connacht.[2] After the arrival of the justiciar (representative) of the King of England, Maurice Fitzgerald land was granted to the clergyman Clarus MacMailenn of Lough Cé intended for the construction of a hospital.
The building materials were gathered but the order was then switched to a castle by Fitzgerald, who having the upper hand, ordered the building of a castle to secure the position. Fedlim O'Connor, King of Connacht was ordered to build a castle by Maurice Fitzgerald, the Norman baron and warrior. Maurice used the castle as a base to invade Tir Conaill (Donegal).
"The castle of Sligo was built by Mac Muiris FitzGerald, Justiciar of Ireland, and by the Sil Murray. For Fedlim O Conchobair was bidden to build it at his own cost and to take the stones and lime of the spital house of the Trinity for the building, though the Justiciar had previously given that site to Clarus Mag Mailin in honour of the Holy Trinity." (Annals of Connacht, 1245)
Warfare for control of Sligo castle was to become a constant feature from the building of the first castle in 1245 until the final destruction of whatever was still standing in 1691.
In 1257 Maurice Fitzgerald was mortally wounded at the battle of Credran Cille to the north of the town. Ultimately, the Normans failed to retain control of the area despite numerous efforts, and were permanently expelled by the mid fourteenth century. They had nonetheless succeeded in laying the foundations for the modern town of Sligo which retains certain Norman characteristics to this day. They also brought their extensive merchant contacts with England, France and Spain which enhanced the wine trade.
Castle of Sligo
see Sligo Castle The exact location and layout of Sligo castle remains unknown, as no trace now exists above ground. It is thought to have stood in Quay street in the vicinity of the city hall.
Holy Cross Friary
The Holy Cross Dominican Friary. The Dominicans were a mendicant order, reliant on alms, and who preached to the poor of the towns. A monastery was built and a cemetery consecrated for the Preaching-friars in Sligo. This is the founding of the Abbey on Abbey street, Sligo town. The Preaching-friars marked out the site of another monastery at Ath Lethan in Lúighne.
Medieval Sligo
Sligo town flourished during the Gaelic revival of the fourteenth century.
In the fifteenth century, Sligo was a prosperous trading port, exporting fish, wool, cow hide, and timber, while importing wine, salt and iron. The centre of Íochtar Connacht.
"The town was burnt by O Domnaill, which was a pity buildings both of stone and wood were magnificent."
The Leabhar na hUidhre or Book of the Dun Cow was kept here for 170 years after being taken from Tírconaill as ransom for the capture of
16th and 17th Century Sligo
During the 16th century Sligo was targeted by the Elizabethan administration in Dublin as a strategic location for anyone attempting to control the northwest. The town now became caught between three different power blocs, the Earls of Clanricard to the west, Tírconaill to the north and the Dublin government under the English Crown in the east.
In 1577 Sir Nicholas Malby the English President of Connacht reported that merchants based in Sligo had requested the building of town walls.[3] The walls were never built, although the town may have had earthwork defences at this time.
Nine Years War
In the 17th century, it became the English caput (principal town) of the newly created County of Sligo. Sligo town now started a new phase as a colonial frontier town, surrounded by a largely hostile countryside. English gradually became the language in the town, but Irish remained the majority language of the county until the middle of the nineteenth century.
Granted a charter in 1613 under James I.
1641 Rebellion
The local nobility took part in the 1641 rebellion led by
The Parliamentary government built a new stone fort on or near the site of the old castle, and an earthen star fort, known as the Green fort on the hill north of the town.
1688–1691 War
Sligo changed hands five times during the Jacobite/Williamite wars. The town was fortified by the infamous soldier Henry Luttrell. The eccentric soldier Sir Teague O'Regan was the garrison commander for the Jacobite forces at Sligo. Patrick Sarsfield retook the town.
The last recorded use of a siege tower known as a sow in Britain or Ireland was at the siege of the stone fort in Sligo during this war. It was not a success.
18th Century Sligo
Maynooth Irish MS B 8, by Henry MacCarrick, a merchant and scholar of Sligo town who lived on High street and copied the Cuimre nGeneleach.
Further reading
A Light to the Blind (anonymous)