Part 12

We know FitzStephen de Marisco erected a castle at Carrig from the following passage in Giraldus Cambrensis:

“MacMorogh marched to besiege Dublin, but left FitzStephen behind, who was then building a hold or castle upon a certain rocky hill called the Carricke, about two miles from Wexford, which place, although it was very strong of itself, yet by industry and labour it was made much stronger.”

From the same source we also learn that it was environed on two sides by the river, but this might apply equally to either fortress.

A further description says: “It was at first made but of rods and wiffes, according to the manner in those daies, but since builded with stone, and was the strongest fort then in those parts of the land; but being a place not altogether sufficient for a prince, and yet it was thought too good and strong for a subject, it was pulled down, defaced, and razed, and so dooth still remane.”

The most likely assumption, on the whole, seems to be that King John erected on the ruined site of FitzStephen’s stronghold the castle known as Shana Court, the stones of which were used in building Belmont, and that Ferrycarrig was an outwork of the larger fortress or else was erected by the Roches of Artramont as a watch-tower to protect the ferry.

FitzStephen suffered a memorable siege in his castle in 1170. He had weakened his garrison by sending a detachment to serve with Strongbow, when the men of Wexford and Kinsellagh rose and laid siege to Carrig Castle with a force of about three thousand.

Several desperate assaults were successfully repulsed before the attackers asked for a parley. This was granted, and they informed FitzStephen that Strongbow and his followers had been utterly routed, and that King Roderic was marching with a great army to annihilate his garrison, but that out of respect to his person they wished him to escape.

FitzStephen could not be induced to believe the tale until three bishops took a false oath as to its truth, whereupon he capitulated upon honourable terms. These were at once violated, and, against the conditions, he was made prisoner and sent to Beggery Island, while many of those with him were killed.

Donald Kavanagh, with great difficulty, arrived in Dublin to inform Strongbow that FitzStephen could not hold out more than three days. It was on this occasion that Maurice FitzGerald made his famous speech, in which he said: “FitzStephen, also, whose courage and noble daring opened to us the way into this island, is now with his small force besieged by a hostile nation. What should we, therefore, wait for?”

Stirred by his eloquence, the English forces, though of small numbers, set out and carried victory before them, but in the meantime Carrig had surrendered.

Strongbow was warned that if his forces marched on Wexford all the prisoners would be at once slain, so that FitzStephen was not liberated until King Henry arrived in Ireland in 1172.

Ferrycarrig is situated on the Earl of Donoghmore’s estate.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

J. Ryan, “History and Antiquities of Carlow.” Brewer, “Beauties of Ireland.” Giraldus Cambrensis. Parliamentary Gazetteer. Proceedings of Royal Society of Antiquaries. Marquis of Kildare, “Earls of Kildare.” Joyce, “Irish Place Names.” “Ferrycarrig,” in _The People_.

_GEASHILL CASTLE_

“Oh, sweetly rural is the scene Where Geashill Castle stands; Beneath the line of green old hills This lovely vale expands.” E. EGAN.

The village of Geashill is situated in the barony of the same name, about eight miles south-east of Tullamore, in the King’s County. On a long ridge near are the ruins of the castle, adjoining a modern lodge usually occupied by the agent of the Digby estate. The ancient fortress is three storeys high, and a spiral stairway still leads to the summit, where there is an iron chair. An underground passage is said to run to the ruined Abbey close by.

The date of the castle’s erection by the Fitzgeralds is ascribed to the twelfth century, and in 1203 or 1204 the King commanded it to be delivered to William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, as the guardian of Maurice, second Baron of Offaly, who was heir to Gerald FitzMaurice.

In 1305 the sept of the O’Dempseys slaughtered a great number of the O’Connors near the castle, and the following year the stronghold was destroyed by these native Irish. The Book of Howth says: “The Lord of Offalye builded the castle of Geschell” in 1307, so it was, no doubt, rebuilt this year by Thomas FitzMaurice, “the crooked heir,” who died in 1298, and who is supposed to have been prevented from inheriting as head of the family on account of some deformity. Juliana FitzGerald granted the castle to his son, who was her cousin, and afterwards 1st Earl of Kildare.

An inquisition was held at Kildare in 1282 upon the estate of the late John FitzThomas, when his heir, Thomas FitzMaurice, came of age. It was shown that the former had held lands from Maurice FitzGerald “for a moiety of the service of one knight whenever royal service should be summoned, rendering suit nevertheless at the court of the said Maurice FitzGerald at Geashill.”

Lord Leonard Gray and the chieftain O’Mulmoy seized the castle, and abbey of Killeigh in 1538. In both they found great stores of corn, part of which they burnt and part carried off.

On an ancient map of Leix, dated about 1563, both the castles of Lea and Geashill are marked as ruins, but in Sir Henry Sydney’s account of Ireland shortly afterwards he writes: “Geshell, in the King’s County, is very necessary to be had of the Earl of Kildare; it is a matter of consequence for her Majesty’s service in that county.”

James I. granted the barony of Geashill in 1619 and 1629 to Lady Lettice Digby, widow of Sir Robert Digby, of Warwickshire, as compensation for not inheriting as heir-general of the house of Kildare, she being the only child of the eldest son of the 11th Earl of Kildare. At the same time he created her Baroness of Offaly, and she lived quietly at Geashill from that date until 1642, when the great rebellion broke out and the Confederate Catholics laid siege to her stronghold.

A kinsman of hers named Henry Dempsy, brother of Lord Clanmalier, was in command, and despatched a letter “To the Honourable and thrice virtuous Lady, the Lady Digby,” demanding that she should surrender the castle to his Majesty and offering her and her household a free pass to wherever they wished, threatening at the same time if she did not comply to murder every Protestant in the town.

To this demand the Baroness sent the following answer: “I received your letter, wherein you threaten to sack this my castle, by his Majesty’s authority. I have ever been a loyal subject and good neighbour among you, and, therefore, cannot but wonder at such an assault. I thank you for your offer of a convoy, wherein I hold little safety; and, therefore, my resolution is, that being free of offending his Majesty, or doing wrong to any of you, I will live and die innocently, and will do the best to defend my own, leaving the issue to God. And though I have been, and still am desirous to avoid the shedding of Christian blood, yet, being provoked, your threats shall no wit dismay me.--LETTICE OFFALY.”

The castle was surrounded by bog and wood, and was, in consequence, somewhat difficult of access, so that upon receiving her letter the enemy retired to make more elaborate preparations for attack.

They collected a number of pots and pans, with which a man from Athboy constructed a cannon. It had to be cast three times before it was successful.

After two months the attackers returned to the castle with Lord Clanmalier in command. He despatched another letter demanding surrender to the brave lady, which received a spirited reply, reiterating her determination to endeavour to hold her own against all comers.

Upon its receipt they discharged the gun, which burst at the first shot, but a fusilade of muskets was kept up until the evening.

As the Baroness was looking out of one of the windows a ball struck the wall near her, and taking out her handkerchief, she contemptuously dusted the spot.

It is said that one of her sons, having fallen into the enemy’s hands, was brought before the castle in chains, with a threat that they would kill him unless she surrendered. She, however, replied that if they touched a hair of his head she would at once put to death a Roman Catholic priest who was within the walls.

At dark the enemy retired, again sending her a letter offering her terms, which received the same refusal as the others had done, and the messenger she sent was kept a prisoner.

Lady Offaly managed to let Sir Charles Coote, then at Naas, know that she needed assistance, and Philip Sydney, Viscount Lisle, at once set out from Dublin to her relief, accompanied by Sir Charles Coote, Sir George Wentworth, Lord Digby, the Baroness’s eldest son, and a considerable force of horse and foot.

Lady Offaly had also despatched an appeal for help to the FitzGeralds, but the letter fell into the enemy’s hands instead, who at once renewed the siege when they learnt of her straits.

As the English forces advanced the besiegers skirmished and retreated. The relieving party supplied the fortress with food and ammunition, but at Lady Offaly’s request she remained in the castle.

The following October she was again attacked by Charles Dempsie, but this time was shortly relieved by Sir Richard Grenville, and after this she retired to Cole’s Hill, in Warwickshire, where she died in 1658.

Her eldest son, Lord Digby, inherited the castle, and it is still in the family’s possession.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

Marquis of Kildare, “Earls of Kildare.” J. Wright, “King’s County Directory.” State Documents. Carew MSS., including Book of Howth. Parliamentary Gazetteer. Hore, “Rental Book of Gerald, 9th Earl of Kildare,” and “Notes on a Fac-Simile of an Ancient Map of Leix,” both in _Journal of Royal Society of Antiquaries, Ireland_.

_GLENARM CASTLE_

This castle is situated in the Barony of Lower Glenarm, a little more than twenty-five miles north of Belfast, in the County Antrim, where the Glenarm rivulet enters the bay.

The original stronghold was erected by the Byset family about the middle of the thirteenth century, and came into the MacDonnell family through the marriage of Margery Bisset.

The castle stood on the southern side of the river at the head of the street which leads from the barbican, and on the opposite bank from the present building.

In 1278 an inquisition was held after the death of two John Bysets to determine if the Earl of Ulster was right in making the fortress over to the Bishop of Connor as ecclesiastical property, and it was decided that the Bysets had not held the castle from the church.

Captain Pers and Malbie placed Randal Oge in possession of the stronghold in 1568, but the same year his ward surrendered it.

In 1597 it is reported James and Randal M’Donnell “broke” the castle, and it does not appear to have been afterwards rebuilt, although the ruins were standing for many years.

Sir Randal MacDonnell was granted the estate in 1603, and began to erect the present castle.

Sir Awla M’Awla petitioned against his possession of Glenarm in 1610, but apparently without effect.

Sir Randal greatly enlarged the dwelling in 1636, and the following inscription was placed over the entrance:--

“With the leave of God this castle was built by Sir Randal McDonnel, Knight, Erle of Antrim, having to wife Dame Aellis O’Neill, in the year of our Lord God, 1636. Deus est adjutor meus.”

Shortly after this the family made Glenarm their chief place of residence instead of Dunluce Castle.

The fortress is approached by a barbican standing on the northern side of the bridge, while an avenue of limes leads to the hall door. The building is flanked by towers crowned with cupolas and vanes, and the gables are decorated with heraldic devices.

An embattled wall guards the terrace on the river side.

The hall, which is also used as a billiard-room, is especially handsome, while the dining-room and drawing-room are also fine apartments.

Some treasure chests said to have belonged to the Spanish Armada are preserved in the castle, but a doubt has been thrown upon their being of such a date.

During the rebellion of 1798, the castle was used as the headquarters of the Yeomanry. The rebels had decided to attack it on the 8th of June, and the wives of the Yeomen, whom they had captured, were to be placed in front of the insurgents in their advance.

This diabolical plan was frustrated on the very morning of the intended attack by news of the defeat at Antrim, whereupon the camp was broken up.

Glenarm is the seat of the Earl of Antrim, the present representative being the sixth peer.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

Hill, “MacDonnells of Antrim.” State Documents. State Papers. Thomson, “Highways and Byeways in Donegal and Antrim.” Parliamentary Gazetteer. “Guide to the Giant’s Causeway,” in _Dublin Penny Journal_. Drew, “Old Iron Treasure Chests”; Smith, “Memories of ’98,” in _Ulster Journal of Archæology_.

_GLIN CASTLE_

The origin of the title Knight of Glin, or Knight of the Valley, seems not to be accurately known, but the designation has been recorded as in use during the reign of Henry III. The Knights of Glin, also called the Black Knights, belong to the great Geraldine family, and owed a certain allegiance to the Earls of Desmond, which is described as follows: “Divers customs of meat and drink, together with rising of men at the Earl’s calling to the number of 60 kearne.”

The housing and feeding of some of the Earl’s men were also included.

Glin is a small market town and seaport in the Barony of Shanid, in the County Limerick, at the junction of a rivulet with the Shannon, twenty-six miles west by south of Limerick City.

Of the ancient fortress situated in the town, nothing now remains but the keep. It measures 38 feet by 35 externally, and the walls are 8 feet in thickness. It is at present about 40 feet in height, but was at one time crowned by a turret in the eastern corner. The courtyard walls were 102 feet in length and 92 in breadth. The chief entrance, to the north, was defended by a semicircular outwork. The great hall was situated on the western side of the courtyard, while the keep was in the south-west corner. The two eastern angles were defended by small towers. A moat surrounded the castle filled with water from the Shannon tributary.

The Knight of Glin was a very important chieftain in Limerick, maintaining an ordinary force of ten horsemen and a hundred and forty foot soldiers. During the Desmond wars he shared the fortunes of the Earl, and in 1569 both the Knight and the son were attainted, the latter being executed.

The estates were, however, very shortly afterwards restored, and in the rebellion of the Northern Earls and the “Sugan Earl” of Desmond, the Knight of Glin was again amongst the disaffected.

In the summer of 1600 Sir George Carew started on an expedition to the west to restore peace in that quarter. He had with him a force of one thousand five hundred men, and was accompanied by the Earl of Thomond.

The army marched through Kerry to Askeaton, where there was a halt for four days awaiting provisions, which had been sent by water from Limerick. On the 4th of July they marched twelve miles to Ballintare, the enemy moving in front within view. The next morning’s march brought them before Glin Castle, the rebels still offering no opposition.

The Four Masters describe the route taken as having been from Limerick along the northern bank of the Shannon through Clare, the troops ferrying themselves across the river at Glin, but it is most likely that Sir George Carew’s biographer gives the correct line of march.

Captain Gawin Harvey’s ship, with the ordnance on board, had been anchored in the Shannon for fourteen days awaiting their arrival, and the guns were at once unshipped upon the arrival of the troops.

That night the forces entrenched themselves between the castle and the river, and the next day, under the guise of a parley, they managed to plant the cannon without opposition.

The next day the Knight of Glin, who was not within the castle, asked for a safe conduct to the English camp, which was granted. Upon arrival he demanded to see the President, but was refused unless upon an unconditional surrender. This he would not consent to, and was, therefore, ordered to depart. Seeing his son in the camp, whom he had delivered as a hostage some time previously, he seemed to hesitate, but as he still held out for terms the Earl of Thomond broke off the negotiations, and the Knight and his attendants retired to a neighbouring hill to watch the attack.

Later the Constable of the fortress sent a message to the Earl of Thomond begging an interview, which was granted. He began by stating that the love he bore the Earl, being a Thomond man himself, had induced him to warn the English to depart, as the Earl of Desmond with three thousand Connaught men were only two miles off, and would most likely attack the camp and drive them all into the river. The Earl laughed at his forebodings, and told him to deliver the castle and so save himself and the warders from death. This offer he refused, and the President, hearing he had done so, sent a message to say that he hoped to place his head on a stake in two days’ time.

One of the cannon becoming clogged, Sir George Carew ordered it to be filled with a charge in inverted order and the fire put to the mouth, so as to clear the touch-hole by the explosion. This was carried out with great success, much to the relief of the besiegers.

A fire of small shot was kept up from the castle at the ordnance, and the President, placing the Knight’s son on one of the cannon, sent a message to the garrison to say he had given them a mark to aim at. The Constable replied that the Knight of Glin might have more sons, and that the child should not deter him from firing.

Sir George Carew, however, removed the child, and commenced the battery. A breach was made into the cellar under the great hall, one gunner only being killed.

Captain Flower then led the attack and entered the hall through the breach, forcing the ward to retire. The flag of the besiegers was hoisted from the turrets of the hall, and night coming on Captain Slingsby was ordered to hold the position until the morning.

A dropping fire was kept up all night. The Constable, seeing that to successfully hold the castle was impossible, tried to escape with some of the warders, but he and others were killed in the attempt, one only getting away. His head was placed upon a stake in the camp as the President had said.

The rest of the garrison retired to the keep. In the morning the attackers burned the heavy wooden door which guarded the stairway, but they had to wait two hours for the smoke to clear away. As soon as it had done so, one of the garrison appeared to ask for the lives of his comrades if they surrendered, but it appears he gave himself up before an answer was returned.

The officers and men then ascended the stairs in single file as the width of the passage necessitated, but met with no opposition, the garrison having retired to the battlements, which were protected only by one door.

Here a terrible hand to hand encounter took place. Some of the warders were killed, while the rest jumped from the parapet into the water below, and were either drowned or killed by the guards stationed beneath the tower.

The English lost ten soldiers and one ensign, while about twenty-one men were wounded. Of the defenders of the castle about eighty men were killed, while the Four Masters state that some women and children also lost their lives. They remark that the place would not have been so easily won had not the “Earl of Desmond’s people dispersed from him.”

The rebels had burned the town of Glin upon the approach of the Royal troops.

During the rising the castle had been used as a storehouse for the “Sugan Earl’s” forces, and a Limerick merchant called Anthony Arthurs seems to have dispensed his goods from it.

Sir George Carew placed a guard of twenty-one soldiers in it under the command of Captain Nicholas Mordant.

Edmund FitzGerald, Knight of the Valley, was restored to most of his estates in 1603, and six years later he appealed to the Lords of the Council against Patrick Crosby obtaining Glin Castle by the King’s letter, on the pretext that it was kept from the Knight to prevent his rebelling. Crosby had undertaken to repair and fortify the fortress at his own cost. The Knight stated he had been pardoned by Lord Mountjoy, that his lands had been restored, and shortly afterwards the castle as well.

The next year Sir Arthur Chichester explains that the building was occupied only by Anthony Arthur, who sold wines in it, and that he had therefore given it to Crosby. He also stated that the Knight’s eldest son was abroad.

In 1681 the castle was in the possession of Major FitzGerald.

The present Glin Castle, seat of Desmond FitzJohn Lloyd FitzGerald, Knight of Glin, is situated about a mile west of the town. Over the yard gate is an engraved stone bearing the following inscription: “Edmond Gerrald, Knight of the Vally. Onnor Cartie, his wife. Fear God always and remember the Poor. I.H.S. Anno Domoni, 1615.”

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

Pacata Hibernia (Dublin reprint, 1810). J. Dowd, “County of Limerick.” Calendar of State Papers. Parliamentary Gazetteer. Carew MSS. Donovan, “Annals of the Four Masters.” Journal of Thomas Dineley (_Kilkenny Archæological Society’s Journal_).

_GREENCASTLE, COUNTY DONEGAL_

This castle is situated on the west side of the entrance to Lough Foyle, two and a half miles north-east of Moville, in the Barony of Innishowen.

It was erected upon a rock and defended by two towers which contained the chief apartments, while a third tower defended the northern end.

It is built of green fire stone, from which its present name may have been derived.

In Macator’s map, which was published in 1629, it is marked as “New Castle,” and it is still known in Irish by that name.

Hanmer’s “Chronicle” and Grace’s “Annals” state that Arx Viridis in Ultonia was thrown down in 1260, so that it is likely that the present building, which was erected by Richard de Burgo, the Red Earl of Ulster, in 1305, replaced a former fortress.

In 1332 William de Burgo, or the “Dun Earl,” owned the fortress, which he had inherited from his father, and having taken prisoner Walter, son of Sir Walter de Burgo, he starved him to death in the castle. Sir Arthur Chichester excavated one of the pillars of the dungeon in which it is supposed he was confined, and a mark was discovered that most likely had held a ring to which the prisoner was chained. The “dreary and dismal” prisons are still to be seen.

The Dun Earl was stabbed to death the next year in revenge for the murder.

The following legend is told regarding Walter de Burgo’s death. The Earl had a beautiful daughter who one day, in

crossing the sands on the shore under Benevenagh, became engulfed in quicksands, and was nearly losing her life when Sir Walter Burk’s son, who was serving in the army of O’Neill and O’Donnell, seeing her danger from the heights above rushed down and saved her from the peril.

The same year this young man was taken prisoner by the girl’s father in his war with the O’Donnells and starved to death at Greencastle. The Earl one day, during his unfortunate victim’s captivity, discovered his daughter carrying food to the prisoner, and seizing her by the hair, dragged her to the battlements and hurled her over on to the rocks below.