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Adams Family History
County Monaghan is an ancient landscape made up mostly of low hills called drumlins, with gentle valleys between and many lakes. Archaeology and history show the antiquity of life in County Monaghan from ancient fossils and bones of animals, such as the great Irish deer, stone tools used by our farming ancestors of perhaps 6,000 years ago, their burial sites and the forts and dwelling places of more 'recent' folk who were contempories of the ancient Romans, the early Christians and the Norman conquerers. Modern developments in social, economic and political history have affected the county in as profound a way as they have elsewhere, but the ways in which this has happened have always been influenced by local characteristics, events and circumstances. The county of Monaghan was formed in 1585 from the five ancient Baronies of Truagh, Dartrey, Monaghan, Cremorne and Farney. This was part of the shiring process in Ireland which by 1603 completed the conquest of the Island by the Tudor monarchs and made way for several centuries of both war and peace, decline and development in the modern county of Monaghan. On June 13th, 1595, the Battle of Clontibret (on the route between Castleblayney and Monaghan), had been one of the first clashes between English and Irish troops in the Nine Years War which led to the final conquest of Ireland in 1603. Clontibret was a tactical victory for the Irish, led by Hugh O'Neill, earl of Tyrone, who defeated the English under Sir Henry Bagenal. Lack of communication prevented outright slaughter. A memorial to all those who died now stands at the battle site.  |
