Croom

The historic town of Croom was described in the Urban Survey of Limerick as following; 'Croom is located on the Maigue river to the south west of Limerick on the Limerick to Cork road. It was clearly a settlement site before the coming of the Normans because there is a reference to the burning of Cromadh in 1144 by Toirdealbach Ua Conchobair (AFM). The nature of this early settlement is unknown, however. In 1215 it was granted to Maurice FitzGerald (Sweetman 1875-86, i) and it became one of the principal manors of the FitzGeralds, lending its name to their warcry "Crom-a-Boo". It remained in the hands of the FitzGerald earls of Kildare until it was confiscated in the aftermath of Silken Thomas' rebellion. In 1547, however, it was granted to the earl of Desmond (Westropp 1905-6, 166). The foundation date of the borough is unknown but it is likely, following Empey's analysis of the process of Anglo-Norman sub-infeudation, that it was established at an early date, probably at much the same time as the manor was granted to the Fitzgeralds. The earliest reference to the presence to burgesses occurs in the justiciary rolls for 1295 (Westropp 1905-6, 166), while the murage grant of 1310 suggests that it was not an inconsequential settlement (Ir Rec Comm 1829, 42). The rent paid by the burgesses in 1331 "for the two parts of their borough" was 11s. 9. 5d. (Red Bk Kildare, 111), but whether this is a total rent or a partial rent is unclear. The subsequent history of the borough is unknown. The medieval borough may have been located on the east bank of the Maigue river centred on the present village whose street plan appears to be of relatively recent origin. Alternatively, because of "the location of the castle and church on the west side of the river, it may well be that the medieval borough was situated on the west bank. In the absence of clear information, however, it is impossible to be certain' (Bradley et. al. 1989, 117-8).