Duncannon

History

According to legend, the settlement at Duncannon dates back to the time of Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) and the Fianna in the 3rd century AD. Duncannon was of strategic importance as its fort commanded the bay giving sea access to Waterford harbour. As a result, it was centrally involved in wars and sieges during the 17th and 18th centuries. During the Irish Confederate Wars (1641–1652), the fort at Duncannon was initially occupied by English soldiers and used as a base for an attack on nearby Redmond's Hall (now Loftus Hall). During this period, it was besieged three times. In 1645, it was taken by an Irish Confederate army under general Thomas Preston. Its English garrison surrendered after lengthy bombardment, during which their second in command Larcan was killed, and a ship, The Great Lewis, trying to bring supplies to the garrison was sunk with the loss of 200 lives (see Siege of Duncannon). During the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, Duncannon was besieged again, as part of the Siege of Waterford, firstly in November 1649 by Oliver Cromwell and Michael Jones in 1649. The fort's Irish garrison held out, and the siege was abandoned in December of that year. However, in July 1650, Henry Ireton renewed the siege, and the fort and town surrendered after the fall of Waterford. In 1659 and 1660, Duncannon was the only town to remain openly loyal to Edmund Ludlow after forces loyal to General George Monck took control of Dublin and other towns. In the Williamite war in Ireland (1689–1691) James II, after his defeat at the battle of the Boyne, embarked at Duncannon for Kinsale and then to exile in France. Later his son in law and enemy William of Orange, marched on its cobblestones as the town and fort surrendered to his army without resistance. The fort at…

Most-observed species

• Common Carder Bee

  Bombus pascuorum (Scopoli, 1763) · Insecta
  839
• White-tailed Bumble Bee

  Bombus lucorum (Linnaeus, 1761) · Insecta
  645
• Rook

  Corvus frugilegus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  511
• Herring Gull

  Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763 · Aves
  494
• Speckled Wood

  Pararge aegeria (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  491
• Large Red Tailed Bumble Bee

  Bombus lapidarius (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  461
• Red Admiral

  Vanessa atalanta (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  436
• Buff-tailed Bumble Bee

  Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  416