Donadea seems an appropriate place from which to send Christmas and New Year greetings.
I first went there for the forest walks, the trees and the lake helping me adapt to the changing seasons.
Then I began noting the ornamental battlements of its (now sadly ruined) house and its signature towers and walls. I found out that a manor demesne had been created there by the Normans in the 12th century which the Aylmer family took over in 1558. They kept adding towers and walls to it for the next 500 years.
I moved on to the term ‘Donagh’ in the name ‘Dona- dea’ indicating a church founded by St Patrick. Indeed, beside the ‘new’ church built by the Almyers I found the site where Patrick had been back in 455.
The narrow road passing the church has an even earlier history. It is part of the ancient ‘Sli Mor’, the western branch of the five great roads leading to (or from) Royal Tara. That was how Patrick would have come.
Donadea has reminders of different layers of Irish history but could only bring me so far. However my interest had been stirred and I began to look at my surroundings differently.
Take nearby Maynooth for instance. Until recently I had innocently interpreted Maynooth (Maigh Nuad) as ‘New (Nua) Plain (Maigh)’. While reading up on early Irish history I realised the name actually means the ‘Plain of Nuad’ – Nuadh ‘of the Silver Arm’ being one-time King of the Tuath De Danann and a key figure in the oldest Irish folk tales. You can’t get much further back in the Irish story than Nuad and I have come to realise I am living on his level plain!
Perhaps Donadea did not lead me directly to the earliest Irish roots but it helped start me on that encounter.
So when I look back at 2024 and the surprising places my search led me, I think Donadea is a fitting place from which to send my greeting and thanks to all who have followed those journeys and encouraged me with their interest.
May we continue to learn from the traces our ancestors have left us.
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