• About Us
    • Home
    • Our School
    • Our Beliefs & Values
    • Board of Management
    • Local History >
      • The Rock of Dunamase
      • Killenny Church
      • Emo Court
      • The Heath House
    • Staff
    • Parents Council
  • Current News
    • Newsletters
    • Board of Management News
    • Parents Council News
    • Students Council News
  • School Information
    • New Parents
    • School Information Booklet
    • Book Rental / Book Lists 2022/2023
    • Calendar 2022/23
    • Standardised Testing
    • Application & Enrolment >
      • Annual Admissions Notice
      • Junior Infant Application 23/24
      • Application Form
    • School Self Evaluation
    • Whole School Evaluation
    • School Policies >
      • Adminstration of Medicine
      • Anti Bullying
      • Assessment & Evaluation
      • Attendance
      • Child Protection
      • Code of Behaviour
      • Learning Support & Special Educational Needs
      • Data Protection Policy
      • Parental Complaints Policy
  • School Activities
  • Classes
    • Junior Infants
    • Senior Infants
    • First Class
    • Second Class
    • Third Class
    • Fourth Class
    • Fifth Class
    • Sixth Class
  • Covid Updates
  • Gallery
  • Halloween
  • Reeling in the Years
  • Book Rental / Book Lists 2022/2023
Picture
The Rock of Dunamase.
This hill of hard limestone rock (about 60 metres above ground level) was marked on a map by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. It was called 'Dunum'. In Celtic Ireland, it was known as Dún Masc, the fort of Masc. Masc was a grandson of the King of Leinster. In 843, Dunamase was plundered by the Danes. In the 12th century, it belonged to Dermot Mac Murrough, King of Leinster. He was the man who invited the Normans to Ireland. After the Norman Invasion in 1169, Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke (known as Strongbow) married Dermot's daughter, Aoife, and inherited the castle. In the 14th century, it was taken over by the O'Moores and, for the next two hundred years, the Irish and English fought over it. The O'Moores were the most famous Laois family and, even today, Laois is sometimes called 'The O'Moore County'. In 1650, Dunamase was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's colonels Hewson and Reynolds. Today the castle is in ruins as depicted in our photo.


Scoil an Fhraoich Mhóir, The Heath, Portlaoise, Co. Laois            Phone:  057-8646658                   Email: office@theheathns.com                    
Proudly powered by Weebly