Ballymote
(Irish:
Baile an Mhóta)
is a growing market town in
south
County Sligo, Ireland. It is a historic town, with
Ballymote
Castle (shown above), built
by Richard de Burgh, dating from
1300.
The Book of Ballymote named for
the parish of Ballymote, was
written in 1390 or 1391. It
was produced by the scribes
Solam Ó Droma, Robertus Mac
Sithigh and Magnus Ó Duibgennain,
on commission by Tonnaltagh
McDonagh, in the possession of
whose clan the manuscript
remained until 1522, when it was
purchased by Aed Óg O'Donnell,
prince of Tír Conaill, for 140
milch cows. In 1620 it was given
to Trinity College, Dublin, but
was subsequently stolen from the
library, and only returned to
the Royal Irish Academy upon its
foundation in 1785 by Chevalier
O'Gorman who allegedly purchased
it from a millwright's widow in
Drogheda for 20 pounds.