Donnybrook Hoof

The origins of ‘Donnybrook Hoof’ relates to family background. Our property situated at Hahndorf, South Australia is named Donnybrook after my husband’s family linage. His grandmother on his mum’s side was a Williamson who settled on a dairy farm in the southern part of the Clare District, South Australia.

At the farm site today there are the remnants of the old homestead and milking shed. It is believed that the family linage migrated from Ireland and eventually settled in the area.

The name Donnybrook is derived from an Irish name “Domhnach-broc’. This relates to one of seven daughters, called Broc. Her family were the Dallbronach from Deece in County Meath, Ireland. Broc is believed to have founded a convent on the banks of the River Dodder in the first half of the eighth century, now a graveyard. Recently the graveyard was restored and a granite base that once held a wooden cross dating from the eighth century was located. This confirmed the fact that it was the site of St Broc’s ancient convent.

The area that surrounds this ancient site is known as Donnybrook in the District of Dublin, Ireland. Associated with the history of this area was once a festival known as Donnybrook Fair which was started under the reign of King John and gave rise to the association of the term ‘donnybrook’ meaning a brawl. The Fair was notorious for drunken behaviour and violent acts. The Fair was eventually banned in 1855.

With many of the migrants that travelled to Australia, it was common to associate the names of their much loved history to their new found homelands. Hence there is more than one Donnybrook in Australia. Donnybrook in the Clare District is a small district compared to the better known apple area of Donnybrook 210 km south of Perth Western Australia. But they both hold the same history in the name.