Part 3

It was granted to Prince Edward, the King’s son, in 1254; and during the years 1276-77 it was repaired.

Richard de Verdon was besieged in the castle in 1288 by Richard de Burgo, and the same year John, Archbishop of Dublin, took up residence there to oversee its better fortification, and to try and make terms with the Irish.

In 1305 Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster, was constable.

The castle was “obtained” for the King in 1537, having been in the hands of the Irish for many years. It contained only one piece of broken ordnance, and there is a request that another piece should be sent.

During Queen Elizabeth’s reign it was the residence of the President of Connaught, and also the Chief Justice and Attorney-General for Connaught.

Tradition states that the Earl of Essex frequently stayed in the castle, and some of his letters to the Queen are dated from Athlone.

The O’Conor Don was imprisoned in the fortress in 1570 while Sir E. Fitton was constable, as a hostage for the good behaviour of his sept. Some of his followers, however, brought a “cot” under the castle walls, into which the captive stepped, and so escaped.

In 1585-86 it is described as being a fitter residence for the Chief Commissioner of Connaught than the Lord Deputy in the following words:--“That the castle is conveniently furnished with buildings and other necessaries fit for the said Commissioner, but far too mean for the Lord Deputy and the train that must follow the state.”

It was ordered to be garrisoned in 1599, and the following year it was to be entrusted to none but a “sound Englishman.” In 1606 it was repaired and added to.

Two years later it was seized by the Earls Tyrone and Tyrconnell. It passed again to the Crown, and the Earl of Clanricard was constable in 1610.

Thirteen years later it was repaired, and a curious tax is mentioned with regard to the operations, which is, that the sept of Kellyes was bound to supply three hundred labourers yearly for work in the fortress.

The Court of Claims sat in the castle during the Commonwealth.

In 1682 Sir H. Piers writes of it:--“In the centre of the castle is a high raised tower which overlooketh the walls and country round about. On the side that faceth the river are rooms and apartments which served always for the habitation of the Lord President of Connaught and Governor of the castle, the middle castle being the storehouse for ammunition and warlike provisions of all sorts.”

After the battle of the Boyne in 1690, Lieut.-General Douglas, with ten regiments of infantry, three of horse, two of dragoons, twelve field-pieces, and two small mortars, endeavoured to take possession of Athlone. The bridge across the Shannon was broken, and he erected his batteries on the Leinster side of the river.

He continued the cannonading for eight days, but his powder running short he was obliged to retire. In his despatch he stated he had done his best, and that it was his opinion Athlone Castle was “of the greatest importance of any in Ireland.”

Colonel Richard Grace held the fortress for King James.

The following year the main division of William’s army, under de Genckell, laid siege to the town. At once seizing that portion of it that is in Leinster, he began to play his batteries on the north-east side of the castle on June 22nd. By seven in the evening he had made a large breach in the walls.

Firing continued all night, and by five in the morning the side of the castle next the river was completely broken down, and the garrison was obliged to go in and out by a hole made in the wall on the western side.

The following evening the castle garrison raised two batteries above the castle, and some others, but the firing had little effect. The bridge was slowly and surely gained by the besieging troops, and their guns played constantly on the fortress, wrecking the Connaught tower and walls.

Two officers deserting from the town informed William’s troops that the best regiments had been withdrawn by St. Ruth, and thereupon a concerted and sudden attack was made on the 30th of June, which carried the bridge, castle, and town by storm.

Repairs were at once begun by the victors on July 3rd, and in 1697 the castle was the chief depôt of military stores in the west.

It is now used as a barrack, and officers’ quarters and other buildings have been erected inside the walls.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

Weld, “Statistical Survey of Co. Roscommon.” Joly, “Old Bridge of Athlone.” Parliamentary Gazetteer. State Documents. State Papers. Carew MSS. O’Donovan, “Annals of the Four Masters.” D’Alton, “History of Drogheda.” Proceedings of Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. In Journal of same, Langrishe, “Walls of Athlone,” and “Sieges of Athlone.”

_BALLYMOTE CASTLE_

This fine old ruin is situated in the Barony of Corran, County Sligo, about twelve miles north-west of Boyle.

The name signifies the “town of the moat,” and was not used before the building of the Norman fortress. Some think “mote” is derived from “mound,” but it is more likely to refer to the ditch which surrounded the castle until the close of the seventeenth century. The place was formerly called Athcliath-in-Chorainn, or “the hurdleford of Corran.”

The castle fell to ruin after the rebellion of 1688. The curtain walls, which are 9 feet thick, were flanked by six round towers, one of them still being about 60 feet in height. The courtyard which was thus enclosed contained 150 square feet.

A passage about 3 feet wide ran round in the thickness of the walls, and communicated with the towers and defences. The state-rooms were on the north side of the courtyard, and some of them were fine apartments. The Survey of 1633 calls this part “the Court.” A few traces of outworks remain.

About twenty years ago the present Rector of Ballymote was told by an old man that an underground passage was locally supposed to lead from the castle to the abbey, a distance of about 200 yards. Upon further investigation Canon Walker discovered two arches, one in the vestry of the abbey and the other within the castle, apparently leading in the same direction. Both are now choked with rubbish. The entrance in the castle is exceedingly narrow, and was reached from the castle yard by descending steps.

Ballymote was erected by Richard de Burgo, “the Red Earl,” in 1300. It was dismantled in 1318, and twenty-two years later it was in the possession of Turlough O’Conor, King of Connaught, who was besieged in it by MacDermot. Peace was afterwards concluded.

In 1346 it was restored and garrisoned by John de Kerrew.

Two years later it is referred to as belonging to Rory O’Conor, and it was by that family entrusted to the MacDonoughs to hold against the Burkes. These MacDonoughs seized the castle of Ballylahan in 1381, and taking its gate to Ballymote, there erected it.

In 1470 Brian MacDonough, who was lord of Ballymote, was slain by Teige MacDonough, who took possession of the castle. It was still in this family’s possession in 1522 when the famous parchment “Book of Ballimote” was sold by the MacDonough of the time to Hugh Oge O’Donnell for the large price of 140 milch cows, he having first obtained the consent of his family to the transaction.

The MacDermots laid siege to the castle in 1561, and Cathal and Owen MacDermot were both slain before the walls. Five years later the castle was taken by the English and Hugh and Comac MacDonough imprisoned. Almost immediately, however, the fortress was surprised by Tomaltach and Duagal MacDonough.

Sir Richard Bingham recovered Ballymote in 1584 and placed his brother George in charge with seven warders, while he also carried off MacDonough as hostage. At this time sixteen quarters of the best land were set aside for the castle’s maintenance, which seems to have given rise to a great deal of jealousy regarding its custody. The year after its capture Sir Richard applied to be made constable, with a lease of the fortress for sixty years.

In 1587, writing to Mr. Treasurer Wallop, he states he is willing to give up Ballymote if he is refunded the money he has laid out upon it. The following year George Goodman and Thomas Wood seem to have been constables.

The Irish burnt the town and drove the garrison back to the castle in 1593, and two years later O’Conor Sligo petitioned the Government for the fortress. The next year there was an unsuccessful attempt to surprise it, and this year O’Conor Sligo occupied it upon his return from England.

Bingham managed to victual the castle across the Curlew mountains in 1595, but with the loss of many of his best soldiers, and in 1598 it was betrayed to the MacDonoughs by two men the constable trusted. The captors immediately put the fortress up to auction. There seems to have been sharp bidding between Sir Conyers Clifford and Red Hugh O’Donnell, but it was finally purchased by the latter for £400 and 300 cows.

O’Donnell remained in it until Christmas, and he continued to occupy it at different times until 1601, being six months in residence after his victory of the Yellow Ford. It was from here he set out for his disastrous march to Kinsale.

He left Owen O’Gallagher as Governor, who handed the keys to Roderick O’Donnell in 1602.

Two years after it was granted to Sir James Fullerton by James I., and when he left Ireland to be tutor to Duke Charles (afterwards Charles I.), the castle passed to Sir William Taaffe.

It was surrendered to Sir Charles Coote upon articles in 1652, which are still preserved.

The chief conditions were that the garrison was to march away with bag and baggage, and twenty days were to be allowed for the removal of goods, during which time Major-General Taaffe and his family might remain at the castle. After this he was to have a free pass to the Continent, and Lady Taaffe was to be allowed to live at Ballymote, on condition she did not use it against the State, and that the Parliamentary forces might garrison it at any time.

In 1689 the castle was held for King James by Captain M’Donough. A party under Captain Cooper was sent to reconnoitre the district, and pursued M’Donough’s men to the drawbridge of the fortress.

Two years later Lord Granard summoned the castle, but the governor, named O’Conor, refused to surrender. Thereupon he despatched Baldearg O’Donnell and a thousand men to lay siege to the place. They brought with them one 12-pounder and two small field-pieces, and as soon as O’Conor saw the guns he surrendered, upon condition the garrison might march out with their belongings and proceed to Sligo.

After this period the castle was dismantled, and the land subsequently passed to the Gore Booths. Of late there has been some talk of erecting a modern institution within the old walls.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

Wood-Martin, “History of Sligo.” O’Rorke, “History of Sligo.” State Papers. Atkinson, “Book of Ballimote.” Parliamentary Gazetteer. Bagwell, “Ireland under the Tudors.”

_BALLYSHANNON CASTLE_

The name used by the early annalists to denote Ballyshannon, was Athseanaigh, which signified the “Ford of Seanach,” who was ancestor of the Princes of Tirconnell. “Bel” stands for mouth, and the modern designation is a corruption of the Celtic name meaning “the entrance to Seanach’s ford.”

The town is situated on both sides of the river Erne, about eleven miles south-south-west of the town of Donegal, to the extreme south of the county.

The castle was on the north bank of the river, and commanded the principal ford. For this reason its possession was of immense strategical importance, it being the key to the province of Tirconnell. Of the great fortress of the O’Donnells only a small portion of one of the walls remains. This is on the north side of the market yard, part of it being incorporated with a grain store and part with a butter shed. It is 10 feet high and 5 feet thick.

The fortress originally occupied the whole of the market square, and it is most likely that its stones were used in the erection of a cavalry barracks, which subsequently occupied the present market enclosure, but which has now been removed.

Round the castle stretched a beautiful park, the name being still preserved in some old leases. This extended almost to the summit of the hill on the north. Quantities of human bones have been found in the neighbourhood.

The castle was erected in 1423 by Niall, son of Turlough O’Donnell. In 1435 Naghtan O’Donnell gave it to Brian Oge O’Neill for promising him assistance against the O’Neill. Brian, however, went treacherously to his chief without O’Donnell’s knowledge, leaving his warders in the castle. O’Neill, not approving of such double dealing, took him and his two sons prisoners, cutting off a hand and a foot from each, under which treatment one of the sons died.

The fortress was taken from O’Donnell’s warders in 1496 by his son Hugh. His brother Con, with the assistance of Maguire, laid siege to the castle and dislodged him. O’Neill possessed himself of the stronghold in 1522, and slew the warders. It seems to have remained in his possession until Sir Henry Sidney came north in 1566 and had it delivered to him, as well as the castles of Donegal, Beleek, Bundrowes, and Castle Sligo. All these fortresses he placed in the hands of O’Donnell and his allies, who were at this time in high favour with England.

The next year Shane O’Neill liberated Con O’Donnell and his brother, who were at the time his prisoners, and the castles of Ballyshannon and Beleek were delivered to Con.

About this time the Government began to look with alarm on the growing power and popularity of the O’Donnells, and the State Papers of the period contain notes regarding the advisability of garrisoning Ballyshannon and the other fortresses of Tirconnell.

The regular military force under O’Donnell consisted of 1,500 foot and 300 horse, out of which the garrison of Ballyshannon numbered 200 foot soldiers and 40 mounted men.

In 1584, Lord Deputy Perrot recommended the erection of a castle and bridge at Ballyshannon, no doubt to counteract the power of the O’Donnells’ fortress, which could hold the main ford against all comers. Four years later the Lord Deputy dates a letter from Ballyshannon, and about this time young Hugh O’Donnell was kidnapped and imprisoned in Dublin Castle.

In 1592, Mr. Ralph Lane applied to Burghley, asking for the custodianship and fee-farm of the castle and lands of Ballyshannon, &c. The successful escape of Red Hugh, however, from Dublin Castle seems to have placed the possibility of the Government’s disposing of his ancestral home quite out of the question, and in 1592 the greatest of the O’Donnells received a most royal welcome from his father’s dependents in the north.

Arriving at Ballyshannon, where the O’Donnell warders still guarded the fortress, the whole country flocked to meet him and offer their congratulations on his escape.

The neighbourhood was in the most fearful state, being entirely overrun by freebooters, against whom even the English were powerless--the castles of Ballyshannon and Donegal alone remaining in the hands of the O’Donnells.

After a most successful campaign against the marauders, Hugh O’Donnell returned to Ballyshannon to undergo medical treatment for his feet, which had been fearfully injured by travelling from Dublin to Glenmalure in his house-shoes over the mountains and in bitter cold. He did not recover entirely until the end of the year, as both his great toes had to be amputated.

In 1594 Sir Ralph Lane, writing to Burghley, mentions that Hugh Roe O’Donnell would have broken down Ballyshannon but that his mother dissuaded him from it, assuring him that it might be defended with his own forces. Yet this very year it was evidently in the hands of the O’Donnells, and remained so until its capture in 1602.

The State Papers of this period are full of letters requesting money and forces sufficient to take it, alleging that the fortress was the “key of the province,” and no peace could be hoped for in the north until it was garrisoned by English.

In the meantime the O’Donnells lived in royal state, and with lavish hospitality entertained the surrounding chiefs, while their flag floated from the battlements.

Sir George Carew observes of the Prince of Tirconnell: “O’Donnell is the best lorde of fishe in Ireland, and exchangeth fishe allwayes with foreign merchants for wyne, by which his call in other countryes is the kinge of fishe.”

It was during a great assemblage of chiefs at Ballyshannon to organise a raid on the English border, that the great Shane O’Neill became madly enamoured of O’Donnell’s lovely daughter, Helen. He went to her father and demanded her hand, but was informed that the lady was already betrothed to Maguire, the young chieftain of Fermanagh, who held his lands under suzerainty of O’Donnell. This young man had been educated at the Spanish court, and was all that a maiden could wish in a suitor.

One evening the lovers left the castle together, for a stroll by the river side, towards Belleek. Here, while Helen was singing to her harp, O’Neill, who had followed them, broke in upon their happiness. Maguire drew his sword to defend the lady, but he was no match for the great chief from whom he quickly received his death wound. O’Neill placed the fainting form of the fair Helen before him on his horse, and, with a few followers, rode to Dungannon Castle. Her father at once called his forces together, and followed to revenge the injury. The end of the story has several variations, but the most probable seems to be that O’Neill, finding the beautiful girl irreconcilable to the loss of her handsome lover, returned her to her father. The world had, however, lost its charm for her, and the rest of her short life was spent in seclusion.

In 1597 the first determined attack was made on Ballyshannon. Sir Conyers Clifford, Governor of Connaught, with four thousand men, foot and horse, marched on the stronghold, accompanied by Donough, the son of Connor, Murragh, Baron of Inchiquin, and other Irish nobles. O’Donnell having all the fords guarded, they were obliged to cross the river about half a mile west of Belleek. Here the Baron of Inchiquin was shot through his armour, while his horse was standing in the deep water below the ford, where he was encouraging the soldiers and saving them from drowning.

The ordnance was landed by water and planted against the castle. The siege lasted three days, but when the little garrison were thinking of surrendering, help arrived from Tyrone, and the English were driven off with great loss. The defenders of the castle numbered only eighty men, and were commanded by a Scotchman named Owen Crawford.

During Red Hugh’s absence in Spain in 1602 the English took the opportunity to again attack the fortress. The warders, seeing no hope of relief, fled, after the walls had been battered by a big gun, and Captain Digges took “that long desired place.”

Ballyshannon, with 1,000 acres, was reserved to the King in 1603, and five years later Sir Henry Folliot was appointed Governor. In this year the plot to seize the King’s castle of Ballyshannon was one of the charges in the indictment against the Earls of Tyrone and Tirconnell. In 1610 the castle, lands, and fishings were granted to Sir H. Folliot for twenty-one years. He was raised to the peerage under the title of Baron Folliot of Ballyshannon, 1619.

During the Jacobite troubles the castle was still used as a military headquarters, and the town was for a time in the hands of the Royalists.

The land on which the ancient fortress stood is now part of the Connolly estate, and was acquired by purchase from the Folliots.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

Allingham, “Ballyshannon, its History and Antiquities.” Donovan, “Annals of the Four Masters.” Calendar of State Papers. “The Donegal Highlands.” Parliamentary Gazetteer.

_BALLYTEIGUE CASTLE_

This castle is situated in the townland of the same name upon the shore of Ballyteigue Lough, in the County Wexford. The name signifies “O’Teige’s town.”

The old fortress forms part of a modern dwelling-house, and the keep has always been kept roofed and in good repair.

It was erected by Sir Walter de Whitty, one of the Norman settlers, the name being spelt variously--Whythay, Whythey, Wytteye, Whittey, Wythay, in old documents.

Sir Richard Whitty was summoned to Parliament as a baron by Edward III., and his son Richard held three carucates of land in Ballyteigue in 1335.

In 1408, as we learn from a MS. in the British Museum, the Castle of Ballyteigue was burnt by Art M’Murrough Kavanagh on Tuesday, the morning after the Feast of St. Barnabas.

Richard Whitty, of Ballyteigue, died in 1539, and his son Robert being only fourteen at his father’s death, the custody of Ballyteigue was granted to John Devereux during his minority. The estate contained 3 manors, 3 carucates, and 523 acres.

The manor and castle of Ballyteigue were in the possession of Richard Whittie in 1624 and 1634.

The estate was forfeited in the time of the Commonwealth, and was granted to Colonel Brett. It afterwards passed into the hands of the Sweenys, and subsequently to the Colcloughs, a branch of the family of Tintern Abbey.

In 1798 the castle was the residence of John Colclough, one of the leaders of the Wexford insurgents. He was only twenty-nine when the rebellion broke out.

As soon as Bagnal Harvey heard that Lord Kingsborough’s terms for the surrender of Wexford would not be ratified, he hastened to Ballyteigue, but Colclough and his wife and child had already fled to one of the Saltee Islands, about ten leagues from Wexford. He followed them, but the island was searched, and the fugitives taken in a cave. They were conveyed to Wexford, and Harvey and Colclough were immediately tried and hanged. Colclough’s head is buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Wexford.

His little daughter and only child inherited Ballyteigue. She afterwards married Captain Young, and both lived in the castle until their death. Their only daughter sold the house to Mr. Edward Meadows, from whom it passed to Mr. Thomas Grant.

A legendary tale of “Sir Walter Whitty and his cat,” published some years ago by the late M. J. Whitty, editor of the _Liverpool Post_, may have originated from the lion which is represented in the Whitty arms.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

MS. Ordnance Survey. Parliamentary Gazetteer. Book of Inquisitions of Leinster. R. Madden, “United Irishmen.” “Balliteigue Castle,” in _The People_. Joyce, “Irish Place Names.”

_BARBERSTOWN CASTLE_

This castle is situated in the parish of Straffan, County Kildare, in the barony of North Salt, about a mile north of the village of Straffan.

The name is spelt variously Barberstowne, Barbeston, Barbieston, Barbiestowne, Barbiston, Barbitstowne, Barbyeston.

The present building consists of a battlemented rectangular keep considered by experts to be of thirteenth-century construction, and measuring at its greatest height 52 feet. It is divided into three floors. The lower room, which is vaulted to the height of 17 feet, is 18 feet long by 15½ feet wide, and the walls are 4½ feet in thickness.

The entrance is situated at the north-west angle, above which are two grooves of sufficient width to stand in, and evidently intended for the protection of the doorway.

The room above the vault is of slightly greater proportions than that below, owing to the walls being of less thickness.

Two small rectangular towers are joined to the main building on the south side’s western angle, and west side’s northern angle respectively. The latter contains a winding stone stair of fifty-three steps leading to the now slated roof. The original crenelated loops for musketry have here and there been enlarged to admit more light. The summit of the watch tower is reached from the roof by a short flight of nine steps.