Place:Macroom, County Cork, Republic of Ireland

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Macroom is a market town in County Cork, Ireland, located in the valley of the River Sullane, halfway between Cork city and Killarney. Its Irish language name may translate as "meeting place of followers of the god Crom" or "crooked oak", the latter a reference to a large oak tree that apparently grew in the town-square during the reign of King John. Its population has grown and receded over the centuries as it went through periods of war, famine and workhouses, forced emigration and intermittent prosperity. The 2011 census gave an urban population of 3,879 people, while the 2016 census recorded 3,765 people.

Macroom began as a meeting place for the druids of Munster. It is first mentioned is in 6th-century records, and the immediate area hosted a major battle involving the Irish king Brian Boru. During the middle ages, the town was invaded by a succession of warring clans, including the Murcheatach Uí Briain and Richard de Cogan families. In the early modern period the MacCarthy's took control and later the area found prosperity via milling. The MacCarthys built a series of tower houses, some of which survive. The family lost influence during the Williamite wars of the 1690s, after which authority over the town castle waxed and waned between the MacCarthys and a number of English families. In the 17th century, Macroom became a central point of conflict in the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

The population fell in the 1840s during the Great Famine. Evidence can be found in the former workhouse, now the district hospital at the north side of New Street, and the mass graveyard to the west, near Clondrohid. During the late 18th and early 19th century, a number of Anglo-Irish families, and a branch of the Massey family, settled in the area. Many of their estate houses were burned in the period around the Irish War of Independence as the town was caught the turmoil of IRA activity.

From 1976 to 1982, Macroom hosted the Mountain Dew Rock festival, with lineups that included Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy and Van Morrison. Today the town is an economic hub for the mid west Cork region, and the location of a Danone milk processing factory, which dries and cans infant formula from milk supplied by local dairy farmers. Until the 1950s, New Street was the town's economic hub, and contained many small retail outlets.

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The town itself is dominated by Macroom castle gates and the market square on front. It's most famous resident was Sir. William Penn, the founder of Pennsilvania in the United States. He was also the owner of Macroom castle. The castle itself was given as a gift and later became the strong hold of the McCarthy clan. The castle was destroyed 6 times, last by the blackintans who executed it's last resident Bishop McEgan outside carrigadrohid castle. There is a school in his name built on the site today. the only remains of the castle are the tower and the castle gates. The ruin of the castle were torn down in the 60's after a large section fell onto a truck parked outside. Macroom is also most noted for it's hooded cloaks which were worn in the town by residents as late as the 1950's. They were a long black hooded garment.