The location of Macroom Castle (W 338 729) at a strategic position on sloping land in a narrow section of the river valley suggests that it was a defensive site. The castle would have provided protection for the early inhabitants of the town and the security it offered would have attracted settlement.
The lands and estate of the castle would have supported workers and tradesmen who settled nearby. This contributed to the development and growth of economic activities and settlement expansion.
EXAM LINK (OL) Urban Development (30 marks)
Examine the 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map of Sligo on page 182. Describe and explain three reasons why the town of Sligo developed at this location, using evidence from the Ordnance Survey map to support each reason.
2018, Q12B KEYWORDS
Neolithic Megalithic Bronze Age
fulacht fiadh Iron Age forts
early Christian round towers
Marking Scheme: Three reasons × 10 marks For each reason:
OS map evidence = 1 mark Explanation = 3 SRPs × 3 marks
History of Settlement in Ireland
The Irish landscape contains evidence of a long history of settlement in the form of antiquities and monuments.
Prehistoric settlement Neolithic period: 4000 BC–2500 BC
Around 4000 BC, new settlers with a knowledge of farming and the domestication of animals arrived in Ireland. This resulted in the development of permanent settlements. While there is little evidence of Neolithic wooden dwellings, remains of burial sites in the form of megalithic tombs are found throughout the country (Figs 28.4–28.6).
