Irish Castles, County Dublin
Irelandseye.com continues the tour of Ireland, moving down the east coast, with details of Irish castles. Now to County Dublin:
Drimnagh Castle
Founded during the 13th century, Drimnagh Castle remained continuously occupied until 1953. It is a picturesque and modest-sized building, and its large flooded moat has recently been repaired as part of the castle's programme of The moat probably dates from the late 13th century, but the castle is quite a hotch-potch of different periods. The gateway tower belongs largely to the 16th century, the stone mullioned windows are 17th century, while the entrance porch and stone staircase were added a century later. The great hall was restored in 1988 with a minstrel's gallery, arched sandstone fireplace and trussed oak roof. The formal garden was created in 1990 featuring plants known in Ireland during the 17th century. 1 km (0.6 miles) W of Crumlin Children's Hospital, Long Mile Road.
Dublin Castle
Fragments are all that remain of the great medieval fortress that once served as a symbol of Royal authority in Ireland and the centre of administration. Its construction began in 1204 when King John directed Meiler FitzHenry to make a castle "with good ditches and strong walls". Meiler chose a site on a ridge at the south-east corner of the city walls that was previously occupied by Henry II's "royal palace roofed with wattles" and possibly by a Hiberno-Norse forerunner. It was completed around 1228 and remained more or less intact until the 17th century when it was extensively rebuilt. The castle was an outstanding example of a "keepless" castle and has been compared to contemporary French castles such as Le Coudray-Salbart. Its east and south walls rose above the natural fosse provided by the River Poddle (now underground), whose waters also fed an artificial moat on its north and west sides. The castle had a comparatively uneventful history and only ever had to endure one siege, when Silken Thomas made an unsuccessful and rather disorganised attempt to capture it in 1534. For many centuries it was the official residence of the Lords Deputy and Lords Lieutenant of Ireland, the home of State councils, and sometimes Parliament and the Law Courts. Off Castle Street, Dublin 2. NGR: O 154339.
Dunsoghly Castle
Considering the enormous number of castles in Ireland, it is perhaps surprising that only Dunsoghly has retained its original medieval trussed roof. This has survived because the castle, built around 1450, was continuously occupied until the 1870s by descendants of the same family, despite being cramped and uncomfortable by post-medieval standards. The topmost chamber of the south-west turret was used as a prison and is only accessible through an opening in the vault above it. There is a small chapel to the south bearing the year 1573 over the door, the Instruments of the Passion and the initials of John Plunkett and his wife Genet Sarsfield. On the west and south are remains of earthwork defences put up during the warfare of the 1640s. 4 km (2.5 miles) NW of Finglas off the Slane Road. NGR: O 118430.
Swords Castle
Swords Castle was built as the manorial residence of the Archbishops of Dublin around 1200. It was never strong in the military sense, but covers a large walled area of nearly 1.5 acres. The adjoining chapel, built in the 13th century, was probably used as the Archbishop's private oratory. Other buildings, recorded for an inquisition in 1326, have now vanished, including the great hall. The Archbishop abandoned Swords once a new palace was built at Tallagh in 1324 - a move no doubt encouraged by damage sustained during Bruce's campaign of 1317. By 1583, when briefly occupied by Dutch Protestants, it was described as "the quite spoiled old castle". It was used as a garden in the 19th century and sold after the Church of Ireland was disestablished. Swords. NGR: O 182469.
from the Appletree Press title Irish Castles
Click here Irish Castles to buy the newly reformatted book from Amazon.co.uk. The previous edition of Irish Castles is also still available from Amazon.co.uk.
