Macroom

Macroom is a market town in Ireland located in a valley on the River Sullane, a tributary of the River Lee, between Cork and Killarney. It is one of the key gateways to the tourist region of West Cork. The town recorded a population on 3,553 in the 2006 national census. The name in Irish Gaelic may mean 'meeting place of followers of the god Crom or 'crooked plain', the latter derived from a large oak tree at one time growing in the town-square. Traditionally, it is said that Macroom is "the town that never reared a fool."

The area was once a meeting place for the Druids of Munster, and its first mention in the records comes from the sixth century. The town was the site of a major battle involving Brian Boru in the 10th century and in the following centuries suffered a series of invasions by warring families, including those by Murcheatach Uí Briain and Richard de Cogan. Finally the MacCarthy family took control of the area and led the town towards prosperity through such activities as milling, markets and fairs.