Askeaton — Aghalacka,askeaton,cloonreask

The following description of this monument is taken from 'The Urban Archaeological Survey of County Limerick' compiled by John Bradley, Andrew Halpin and Heather A. King (Office of Public Works, 1985). "Askeaton is located on the river Deel in west Limerick just inland from the Shannon estuary on the Limerick to Foynes road. According to Westropp (1903-4, 26-7) the placename is likely to derive from Eas Gephtine, Gephten's Cascade, a waterfall on the River Deel. The natural advantages offered by the site occupied by Askeaton Castle, an easily defensible island, would suggest that this should have been a settlement site from early times. The earliest evidence for a settlement at Askeaton, however, comes from the Book of Rights written c. 1100 which mentions the fort of Geibtine. In 1199 the site was fortified by the Anglo-Normans under William de Burgo and the Annals of Inisfallen record the building of a castle there. Incidental references in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries indicate that Askeaton was a sizeable Anglo-Norman settlement (Westropp 1903-4, 30-1) and as the "town of Inskefty" it contributed 40s to the military subsidy of 1300 in aid of Edward II's wars in Scotland (Mills 1905, 304). This reference suggests that it was an incorporated settlement by this time. It was only in the middle of the fourteenth century. That Askeaton became part of the Desmond lands and they were to hold it as one of their principal residences for two centuries. The Franciscan Friary was founded in 1389 by Gerald, the fourth earl of Desmond, and much of the present castle appears to have been constructed by the ninth earl in the years after 1459. It was the strategic importance of the castle which signalled out Askeaton for special attention during the Elizabethan conquest of Munster. As early as 1569 it had been selected as the residence of the president of Munster. In 1579 and English army under Sir Nicholas Malbie sacked Askeaton and burned the Franciscan Friary but failed to capture the castle. In the following year, however, the castle was captured by Pelham the lord justice. It was not until the early years of the seventeenth century, however, that new settlers began to establish themselves at Askeaton. In 1610 Sir Francis Berkeley offered to wall Askeaton and he was subsequently granted the castle and forty acres of land (Westropp 1903-4, 164). In 1613 the settlement was incorporated and its charter stated that it was to have a corporation consisting of a sovereign and twelve free burgesses. It continued to return two members of parliament until the Union of 1800. Despite this parliamentary status the settlement did not expand and it was to remain a small market town throughout the seventeenth century. It generally appears in records only because of the importance of the castle. Once the castle itself was slighted by Axtell in 1652 and subsequently abandoned the references become even more scarce (Westropp 1903-4, 170-4). The exact location of the medieval settlement is unknown but it is likely that, in common with other such settlements, it was centred on the castle and parish church, in the vicinity of Church Street. The seventeenth century borough appears to have been largely linear with its axis on Main Street. The Quay and the Square probably also date from this time and it is likely that some of the long linear properties along Church Street also date to this time." Compiled by: Denis Power Date of upload: 26 August 2011