of , Ireland On the main route from to , Ireland there is a town that many Pennsylvanians may know little about, the town of Macroom, the boyhood home of William Penn. Its a market town in at the foot of the mountains. The rivers Lee and Sullane flow through the area. Macroom's name in Irish Gaelic means "meeting place of the God Crom," "crooked oak" or "crooked and bloody." "Crom Cruach is a figure in Irish mythology who is imagined as an ancient fertility god and later, as a demon who confronted St. Patrick and subsequently banished by the said Saint. Being a fertility god, Crom Cruach grew to be associated with human sacrifice." Macroom is a small town with a population today of less than 4,000 people. Historically, in the 6th century it was a meeting place for the Druids of Munster. Several wars took place in the area between warring clans during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it became the center of conflict when England's Parliament ordered the invasion of Ireland, led by Oliver Cromwell during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and captured Ireland. Macroom became an important part of the British empire. William Penn was born on October 14, 1644, Tower Hill, Greater London England. He was the son of Admiral Sir William Penn and Margaret Jasper Van der Schure (a widow, when she married Sir William). As Penn's father was promoted from captain to admiral, he became known and respected by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell bestowed a castle to Penn and approximately 12,000 acres of land in and around Cork, Ireland. "The castle that was awarded was Macroom, near the town of Cork. Margaret Penn often went to Ireland and lived there for long periods of time on one or other of the family’s estates. Post the 1661 Act of Settlement in Ireland it was Margaret Penn, in her husband’s absence, who dealt with the legal transference of Macroom Castle to the Earl of Clancarty and the Penn appropriation of the estates of Shanagarry in East Cork & Konakilty in and the appointment of the Admiral as governor and captain of the castle and fort of ." Admiral Penn was not a Quaker, but his son William converted to the Religious Society of Friends or Quaker faith. In 1668, Penn spent time in an English prison for publishing a book supporting Quakerism. William spent time and traveled throughout England and Europe with George Fox, the Quaker founder. His father sent him back to Ireland to deal with their estate, and in hopes of getting out of prison he would separate himself from the issues that brought him to prison. However, upon his arrival in Ireland he continued his relationship with Quakers there. William Penn was a member of the landed gentry. He managed his father's estates in east Cork but was also interested in the democracy and religious tolerance. In 1681, William Penn was given a land grant from King Charles II. The grant came from money owed his deceased father. Penn was instrumental in establishing the state () to become a haven for Quakers. Over the next century, some 2,000 Irish Quakers emigrated to America, many of the them settling in Philadelphia. Today, the gateway and tower are all that remain of Macroom Castle. It was young Penn's boyhood home. The castle is believed to have been constructed during the reign of King John 1199‐1209. "When Macroom Castle was burnt during the War of Independence 1916‐1922, Lady Ardilaun gave the remains to the Irish people." The structure was in a dangerous condition and had to be demolished. What remains is the façade of the once Macroom castle. William Penn had two siblings, Richard and Margaret. "Penn had hoped that Pennsylvania would be a profitable venture for himself and his family. Penn marketed the colony throughout Europe in various languages and, as a result, settlers flocked to Pennsylvania. Despite Pennsylvania's rapid growth and diversity, the colony never turned a profit for Penn or his family. In fact, Penn would later be imprisoned in England for debt." He died penniless on July 30, 1718 in Ruscombe, Berkshire, England. This photo program shares our visit to Macroom and the heritage of William Penn, founder of Penns Woods‐Pennsylvania. "The first castle is thought to have been built here in the reign of King John between 1200 and 1250. Macroom castle was the home of the McCarthys, Lord of , after the McCarthys displaces the O'Flynns, previous Lords of both the site and the region, in the early 13th century. The people of Macroom did not always enjoy free access to the Caste Demesene. The Castle has been burnt out on five different occasions, most recently during the War of Independence, in 1922 following he evacuation of the British Auxiliaries who had commanded it as a residence in 1920. Lady Ardilaun made over the Castle Estate to be held in trust for the people of Macroom. It has been visited by Dean Jonathan Swift and was visited in 1645 by the Papal legate, Cardinal Runcinid. In 1652, Oliver Cromwell confiscated the estate and gave possession to Admiral William Penn, father of William Penn Jnr., the founder of the state of Pennsylvania in America. Through marriage, however, the McCarthy lineage was maintained in Macroom Castle. The Caste demesne was developed as an area of leisure and beauty, with the natural feature such as the river and magnificent oak trees being incorporated into a parkland of tree‐lined avenues and walks, as well as orchards, gardens, grazing land and a deer part (situated on what is now Macroom Golf Course). The Castle's last private owner was Lady Olive Ardilaun, sister of the later Earl of Bantry. She, with her husband Arthur Guinness MP (of brewing fame), moved in literary circles, counting William Butler Yeats and the other members of the Anglo‐Irish Literary movement among their friends. The structure of the Castle remained until 1967 when it was declared dangerous and subsequently demolished." 'Demense' means "extensive landed property retained by the owner for his use" "territory over which rule or control is exercised." Sources: Tour of Macroom, http://countrylifehistory.ie/index.php/2012/02/sir‐william‐penn‐and‐macroom‐castle/, https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Crom_Cruach_(mythology), http://celebratingcorkpast.com/category/c29‐historyheritage/c31‐biographies/c27‐ williampenn‐cat/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroom, http://www.discoveringcork.ie/macroom‐castle/, https://www.audioenglish.org/dictionary/demesne.htm, https://familypedia.wikia.org/wiki/Margaret_Jasper_(c1624‐1682), https://pennsylvaniahistory.wordpress.com/tag/macroom/, https://www.discoveringireland.com/macroom/, http://www.ushistory.org/penn/bio.htm and https://www.thoughtco.com/key‐facts‐about‐the‐pennsylvania‐colony‐103879. acuri.net John R. Vincenti William Penn of Macroom Castle