Castlepollard

The Castlepollard Mother & Baby Home (also known as the Sacred Hearts Home) that operated between 1935 and 1971 in the town of Castlepollard, County Westmeath, Ireland, was a maternity home for unmarried mothers and their children in the former Kinturk Demesne or Manor previously owned by the 'Old English' Pollard family. The Home was run by the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a religious order of Catholic nuns.Over the course of its operation, 4,972 unmarried pregnant women were sent to the Home to give birth and work while 4,559 children are known to have been born in the home, at times with little medical assistance despite the employment of a local doctor as medical supervisor. Higher than average infant mortality, irregular adoptions and physical and/or emotional abuse have been alleged at the Home. Castlepollard was one of 18 homes investigated by the Irish government following the discovery of the remains of hundreds of babies at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway and Bessborough in County Cork. The report reported decades of abuse and negligence resulting in the deaths of hundreds of children, and in some cases mothers, in mother and baby homes in general. It has been alleged that many children born in mother and baby homes were irregularly or illegally adopted to families in Ireland and the US, often in exchange for money, after mothers were coerced to sign non-legal papers assigning their parental rights over their children to the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts or their agents. These allegations relate to certain periods in the history of the homes and may not relate throughout the whole history of their existence.

Tullynally Castle, also known as Pakenham Hall, is a country house situated some 2 km from Castlepollard on the Coole village road in County Westmeath, Ireland. The Gothic-style building has over 120 rooms and has been home to the Pakenham family (now the Earls of Longford) for over 350 years. The house is surrounded by twelve acres of parkland and gardens, including woodland gardens and walled gardens laid out in the early 19th century with a limestone grotto and ornamental lakes. In the 21st century, a Chinese garden with a pagoda and a Tibetan garden of waterfalls and streams have been added.The site entrance from the public road is situated 1.5 km outside Castlepollard on the Granard road 20 km from Mullingar, 80 km from Dublin via the N4 or N3 roads. The grounds are open to the public from April to September.

Fore (Irish: Baile Fhobhair) is a barony in northern County Westmeath, Ireland. It was formed by 1672.

Randoon (Randún) is a Turgesius Viking fortress located southwest of Lough Lene in Ireland. The fortress is situated upon a hill in Ranaghan, dominating by its height all other ringforts in the area, and overlooking Lough Lene between the towns of Castlepollard and Collinstown. The locally used term fort refers to any of the multitude of ringforts, many of which have been overgrown by vegetation. These remain today as historical relics Early Medieval Period of Ireland and Western Europe; they protected by Irish national heritage law.

St. Feighin's is a civil parish in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located about 18.51 kilometres (12 mi) north–north–east of Mullingar. St. Feighin's is one of 8 civil parishes in the barony of Fore in the Province of Leinster. The civil parish covers 10,865.7 acres (43.972 km2). St. Feighin's civil parish comprises 20 townlands: Ballany, Barbavilla Demesne, Ben, Benisonlodge or Bratty, Bratty or Benisonlodge, Carpenterstown, Clonnageeragh, Collinstown, Corbally, Deerpark, Fore, Gillardstown, Hammondstown and Tonaghmore, Hilltown, Lakill and Moortown, Loughanavagh or Newpark, Loughpark, Moortown and Lakill, Newpark or Loughanavagh, Ranaghan, Templanstown, Tonaghmore and Hammondstown, Tonashammer and Windtown The neighbouring civil parishes are: Killeagh and Moylagh (both County Meath) and Foyran to the north, Kilcumny and St. Mary's to the east, Killulagh and Kilpatrick to the south, Faughalstown to the south and west and Rathgarve to the west.

Monintown is a townland in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located about 11.26 kilometres (7 mi) north of Mullingar. Monintown spans the border of two civil parishes. It is one of 14 townlands of the civil parish of Multyfarnham and 11 townlands of the civil parish of Stonehall both in the barony of Corkaree in the Province of Leinster. The townland covers a total of about 541 acres (2.19 km2); 425 acres (1.72 km2) of Multyfarnham and 116 acres (0.47 km2) of Stonehall. The neighbouring townlands are: Ballinriddera to the north–west and Knockbody and Stonehall to the south.In the 1911 census of Ireland there were 7 houses and 34 inhabitants in the townland. The 2011 census recorded 19 inhabitants.

Lough Lene (Irish: Loch Léinn) is a lake situated in north County Westmeath, Ireland, between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown and Fore. It possesses a rich and varied history. It also boasts the existence of prehistoric burial sites, old ruins, many ancient village-type communal circular dwellings locally called ringforts, stiles, and mass paths. Lough Lene also has claims to being the home to kings and Vikings, such as Turgesius who had one of his forts upon the hill on the southwest overlooking the lake from the Ranaghan side, before being killed by Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid.

Knockbody (Irish: Cnoc an Bhodaigh, meaning 'the hill of the low-bred person') is a townland in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located about 10.37 kilometres (6 mi) north of Mullingar. Knockbody is one of 11 townlands of the civil parish of Stonehall in the barony of Corkaree in the Province of Leinster. The townland covers 350.44 acres (1.4182 km2). The neighbouring townlands are: Monintown to the north, Martinstown to the south, Blackmiles to the south–west and Stonehall to the west. Knockbody borders the southern end of Lough Derravaragh.In the 1911 census of Ireland there were 3 houses and 22 inhabitants in the townland.

Lickbla (pronounced Lick-blay, in Irish: Leicc Bladma meaning "Bladma's Leacht or Hearth"), is a historic monument, civil parish, religious parish, and townland, in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located about 23.05 kilometres (14 mi) north of Mullingar. St. Bladma is listed in the Martyrology of Oengus (died 11 March 824) as a saint: "Bladma, i.e. from Blad son of Conmac Cas Clothach, grandson of Tachall son of Cermait, son of the Dagda, a quo nominatur. Or Blad son of Breogan, a quo Sliab Bladma" whose feastday is 7 April and 20 November.The civil parish of Lickbla is one of 8 civil parishes in the barony of Fore in the Province of Leinster. The civil parish covers 8,819.5 acres (35.691 km2). Lickbla civil parish comprises 24 townlands: Ardnagross, Ballynagall, Ballynagall Little, Ballynameagh, Balrath, Bigwood, Camagh, Carlanstown, Castletown Lower, Castletown Upper, Clonrobert, Clonsura, Curry, Derrycrave, Doon, Gilbertstown, Lickbla, Littlewood, Martinstown, Mullagh, Newcastle, Rathcreevagh, Robinstown and Rochestown. The neighbouring civil parishes are: Foyran to the north, Rathgarve to the east and south, Mayne to the south, Street to the south and west and Abbeylara (County Longford) to the west. The religious parish was subsumed into Castlepollard Parish (St. Michael), and existed as a 'vicarage' and is listed as having tithe evaluation in 1837 of "£276 18s. 5 ½d. of which £123 1s. 6d. is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar (of Castlepollard)"The present historic monument consists of a ruined medieval 'barn' church aligned towards east south east (rather than due east) surrounded by an ovoid graveyard possibly set within a larger earlier enclosure. The medieval church, most likely constructed in the 13th century as part of the newly formed manor of Lickbla, dedicated the Blessed Virgin Mary, was in use until the early modern era. It is set on a small hill at the crossing of the River Glore within a river flood plain, also bisected by a mill-race, and may have consisted of a rocky outcrop making it a significant landmark prior to the monument's construction. If such a rocky outcrop exists under the ruins and graveyard, this would have given rise to the name "Leicc" or stone/hearth. The "present remains consist of a nave and chancel church with post medieval entrance gate inserted into E end of S wall of chancel when chancel was converted into private burial area by the Nugent family. The walls of the church are built with coursed rubble with base batter visible on the east gable of church which survives to full height and contains a single light round-headed window with hollowed recessed spandrels and square hood-moulding above. The punch dressed jambs with glazing grooves of the medieval window do not match the round headed arch of the window which was possibly inserted into the window in the late 16th/ early 17th century. The interior of the chancel which is smaller in width than the nave was converted into a private burial area in the 19th century if not earlier. Inside the chancel in front of the E window there is the headstone of Reverend John Murray, priest of Castlepollard who died in 1805. Only the springing stones of the chancel arch survives on the S side. A low stone wall running across this opening was built in the post-medieval period blocking access from the nave into the chancel. Possible remains of a broken out window in NE corner of chancel. According to Cogan (1867, 400) the parish of Lickbla was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and formed part of the monastic estate of Fore abbey (WM004-035010-). Cogan described the church ruins of Lickbla as following; ‘the old church measured fifty-five feet seven inches (16.75m) by eighteen feet six-inches (5.6m)’ (ibid.)"As with Foyran and Rathgarve, the current extant remains are of an early medieval church set within a possible earlier early Christian enclosure, adjoined by a motte & bailey. Lickbla, in addition is located near the ruins of a medieval mill/castle complex which would have included a bridge over the River Glore (running from Lough Glore to the River Inney) as evidenced by Ordnance Survey maps of circa 1900. Currently, the graveyard is heavily overgrown and the church is poorly preserved. The present owner is Westmeath County Council following divestment from the Church of Ireland, following disestablishment, in 1870.

Mayne (Irish: Maighean), is a civil parish in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located about 18.03 kilometres (11 mi) north of Mullingar. Mayne is one of eight civil parishes in the barony of Fore in the Province of Leinster. The civil parish covers 7,197 acres (2,913 ha). Mayne civil parish comprises the village of Coole and 19 townlands: Ballinealoe, Carn, Clonteens, Coole (townland), Coolure Demesne, Derrya, Fearmore, Lickny, Lispopple, Mayne, Monktown, Newtown, Nonsuch, Packenhamhall or Tullynally, Portjack, Shrubbywood, Simonstown, Tullynally or Pakenhamhall, Turbotstown, Williamstown. The neighbouring civil parishes are: Lickbla to the north, Rathgarve to the east, Faughalstown to the south and Street to the west.

Fore Abbey (Irish: Mainistir Fhobhair) is the ruins of a Benedictine and Early Gaelic 7th century Abbey with associated Mill, Anchorite's Cell, Holy Wells and a structure associated with St. Feichin, all situated to the north of Lough Lene in County Westmeath, adjacent to Fore village. Architectural additions, damage by fire and dismantlement have altered the site's appearance and layout over the centuries.

Fore (Irish: Baile Fhobhair, meaning "Townland of the Spring") is a village, next to the old Benedictine Abbey ruin of Fore Abbey, situated to the north of Lough Lene in County Westmeath, in Ireland. The village, (sister parish of nearby St. Mary's Collinstown) is situated within a valley between two hills: the Hill of Ben, the Hill of Houndslow, and the Ankerland rise area. There can be found the ruins of a Christian monastery, which had been populated at one time by French Benedictine monks from Évreux, Normandy. Fore is the anglicised version of the Irish name that signifies "the town of the water-springs" and was given to the area after Saint Feichin’s spring or well, which is next to the old church a short distance from where the ruined monastery still stands. It was St. Feichin who founded the ancient Fore Abbey around 630. By 665 (the time of the yellow plague) there were 300 monks living in the community. Another important aspect of Fore is the Fore Crosses one of which is in the village of Fore. There are 18 crosses; some crosses are plain (most likely to wind and rain erosion) whilst others still remain carved. These are spread out over 7 miles on roadways and in fields and bore witness to religious persecution during penal times. The Monk Gerald of Wales related the following legend of Féchín: " Chapter LII (Of the mill which no women enter) "There is a mill at Foure, in Meath, which St. Fechin made most miraculously with his own hands, in the side of a certain rock. No women are allowed to enter either this mill or the church of the saint; and the mill is held in as much reverence by the natives as any of the churches dedicated to the saint. It happened that when Hugh de Lacy was leading his troops through this place, an archer dragged a girl into the mill and there violated her. Sudden punishment overtook him; for being struck with infernal fire in the offending parts, it spread throughout his whole body, and he died the same night".