Return to Co. Roscommon list
Go to Prehistoric Alignments & Dials
Go to Ancient Monastic Dials
Go to Medieval Dials
Go to Modern (1600+) Dials
Go to Sundial Info.and Books
|
Return to Co. Roscommon list |
Go to Prehistoric Alignments & Dials |
Go to Ancient Monastic Dials |
Go to Medieval Dials |
Go to Modern (1600+) Dials |
Go to Sundial Info.and Books |
 Roscommon Sundial |
 Strokestown Park was the family home of the Pakenham Mahons from the mid 1600s until 1979. During the Great Famine many evictions of poor tenant farmers occurred and the Mahon family alone evicted 3,000 people in 1847. Major Denis Mahon was shot dead in November 1847, as a direct reaction to the large scale deaths of those sent on famine ships to Canada by the Strokestown estate at the height of the Famine. His only child, Grace Catherine, was on honeymoon at the time, having been married only weeks earlier, to Henry Sandford Pakenham who continued the policy of forced emigration to the United States and land clearances of tenant families. Today Strokestown Park is cared for by the Irish Heritage Trust and features a Georgian Palladian Mansion with its original furnishings and fabrics, the National Famine Museum and Archive, and Historic Gardens and Woodlands. Open seven days a week, there is ample parking and coaches are very welcome. Click here to visit their website for opening hours and admission charges |
 |
|
There is an octagonal brass dial signed by "Lynch Dublin" located in the walled garden at Strokestown. The upper tail of the gnomon (the shadow casting device) is broken off but it is in otherwise good condition. There were three generations of Lynch Mathematical Instrument Makers working in Dublin between 1767 – 1846. In addition to those in private collections Lynch brass sundials are to be found at the National Botanic Gdns, Dublin, The Argory, a National Trust Property in Co. Armagh and at Rowallane, another N.T. property in Co. Down. Many thanks to Mrs Anni Wilton-Jones for photo and bringing this dial to my attention |
| Strokestown is located at the junction of the N5 National primary route and the R368 road in the north of the county. Lat 53° 46' North Long 8° 6' West Irish Grid M 193400 279680 |