Hill Forts and Ancient Gilmores of Sligo


Advertisement
Ireland's flag
Europe » Ireland » County Sligo
June 21st 2009
Published: June 27th 2009
Edit Blog Post

Ancient GilmoresAncient GilmoresAncient Gilmores

The grave of Michael Gilmore, my g-grandfather's brother.

Sunday, June 21st



Country Sligo is a wonderful introduction to Ireland. It’s not as touristed as the rest of the country but still just as beautiful with mountains, megalithic ruins, the ocean and a countryside full of farms. Most importantly, it is also the ancestral home of the Gilmore family before they emigrated to the United States over 126 years ago.

Ancient Gilmore Family



My brother Stefan and I were fortunate to have a written account of the Gilmore’s in Ireland handed down to us by our father’s Aunt Margaret that we used to do genealogy research on another trip 2 years ago. We were able to find the hometown of Tubbercurry, the townland where they lived (similar to a street or neighborhood) called Cashel South, and even a few cemeteries with Gilmore’s. Sadly, too many generations have passed and we have not been able to locate any living Gilmore’s in Ireland but it is still neat to show your kids the humble roots of the family.

Father’s Day Surprise



Every morning in Ireland begins with an Irish breakfast and plate full of eggs, ham, sausage, brown bread with jams and jellies galore. It’s a protein
Alyssa and KnocknasheeAlyssa and KnocknasheeAlyssa and Knocknashee

Alyssa stand in Court Abbey cemetery with Knocknashee mountain in the background.
feast for anyone on the South Beach diet. At breakfast, Erin surprised me with a Father’s Day card she had written back home and thoughtfully packed away in anticipation of this day. My favorite line in the card was this, “Every time you make something a learning experience I doubt it at first and think you just want to torture me. But in the end I really do learn.” My heart was filled with laughter and happiness when I read the card. Erin does not readily show her emotions, so this was something very special for her to write.

Hill Forts and More Gilmore History



We kicked off the day with a Gilmore genealogy treasure hunt in nearby Rhue cemetery, searching out the headstones of long forgotten relatives and pointing them out to the girls. Then we drove north to the little village of Lavagh which is at the foot of Knocknashee mountain. Knocknashee is the site of an ancient hill fort and also the site of Court Abbey. Court Abbey was a Franciscan monastery back in the 15th century that was eventually abandoned and the locals used the already consecrated grounds for a cemetery.

Here at
Court AbbeyCourt AbbeyCourt Abbey

Alyssa stands in front of the ruins of Court Abbey.
Court Abbey we found a few more Gilmore’s, notably Michael Gilmore who was the brother of my great-grandfather who emigrated to the USA. If ever there was a cemetery with a great view this was it. The Celtic crosses coupled with the mountain in the background and the bleating of sheep made for a very peaceful setting.

Driving a little further north took us to Sligo town which is the same name as the county. Here we had a late lunch an enjoyed a walk through the old part of town. Things were kind of quiet since it was Sunday and most of the shops were closed. In Ireland, there are still quite a few shops that are run by their owners, hence the shortened hours compared to the 24x7 stores in the USA.

Intro to Pubs and Irish Singing



That night we drove from Tubbercurry to Ballymote to check out the Trad on the Prom, a local celebration of Gaelic culture and music. This evening there was music and singing in the various pubs around town. We stopped in at Hayden’s pub, just in time to hear the singing lessons end for the children. Then the
Inside the AbbeyInside the AbbeyInside the Abbey

Alyssa explores the overgrown and spooky interior of Court Abbey.
adults gathered together and in a very informal fashion, one of them simply began singing. It was a beautiful melody, and lilt of the Irish accent made the song even more intriguing.

Most of the songs were of loves lost, friends who died, or family gone to America all of which were very, very sad. Then someone got up and sang a song about a pair of ugly trousers he bought and then couldn’t get rid of that made us all laugh. What struck me about the evening was that anyone could take a turn and join in the singing. The other thing is that it seemed almost every Irish person could carry a tune. Was it in the genes ? I would find out more the next night.

Observations: The Recession in Ireland



The worldwide economic recession has hit Ireland pretty hard. Tourism is way down in Sligo and the B&B owners are feeling the pain. Construction was going like crazy last time I was here and holiday homes in the country were popular. Now as I drove around Sligo, I noticed many half finished holiday homes where construction had stopped either because the owners backed out or the bank went under. Hopefully Ireland will use this opportunity to not only straighten out it’s economy but also it’s land use plans as well. I would hate to come back in a few years and see the farmer’s fields all turned into subdivisions.


Advertisement



22nd February 2010

Gilmore Hill
Have you ever heard/know of Gilmore Hill near Belfast?
21st January 2022

Michael Gilmore
Our family are researching the Gilmore history. Is your Michael born in 1899? Would love to know as this could be a relative. Thanks
29th January 2022

Unfortunately not the same date for our Michael who was born 1877. Lots of Gilmore's in Sligo, good luck with your search!

Tot: 0.108s; Tpl: 0.009s; cc: 9; qc: 49; dbt: 0.0608s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb