CROOM

In 1868, the parish of Croom contained the following places:

"CROOM, a parish and post town in the baronies of Upper Connello, Coshma, and Pubblebrien, in the county of Limerick, province of Munster, Ireland, 11 miles S.S.W. of Limerick, and 127 miles from Dublin by road, or 141 by the Great Southern and Western railway, on which it is a station. The surface consists of very excellent soil upon a substratum of limestone, rising to a pleasant eminence at Tory Hill. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Limerick, value £927, in the patronage of Edward Croker, Esq. The church is old, and nothing is known of its history. There is a Roman Catholic chapel, united to that of Ballinabannogue; also four day schools and two parish schools. The town is situated upon the river Maigue, which is here crossed by a fine bridge of six arches. It contains a dispensary, corn-mills, and police station, and petty sessions are held within the town. In the vicinity are the ruins of a castle, built in the reign of King John by the O'Donovans, and rebuilt and strengthened on its forfeiture by the Fitzgeralds, adopted in connection with it their war-cry of Crom-a-boo, the present motto of the dukes of Leinster. The old fortress, after being repeatedly taken and retaken at different periods, at length surrendered to William III., and is now the property of E. Croker, Esq., lord of the manor. At Carrigeen are the remains of a round tower. Fairs are held on the 3rd May, 22nd June, 1st September, and 8th December."

"RATHMORE, a demesne in the parish of Croom, county Limerick, Ireland, 12 miles S. of Limerick. There are remains of a ruined castle, once a stronghold of the Earls of Desmond."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018