Part 9

Fishermen say that the spirits of the ill-fated pair haunt the bay, and by moonlight a phantom skiff may sometimes be seen skimming the waters containing the two ghostly lovers.

The castle was included in a grant of lands made by James I. to the Earl of Tyrconnell.

In 1607 it was seized by Caffer O’Donnell and Neale M’Swine with some followers. These young discontents alleged as their reason an old grievance against the Earl, who was given authority by the Lord Deputy and Council to march against them.

Accordingly Sir Richard Handson, the Earl, and Sir Neale O’Donnell arrived before the stronghold, when some of the offenders submitted, and some were taken and hanged. Sir Neale O’Donnell was badly hurt in the fray.

In the State Papers Sir Arthur Chichester advises that the troublesome youths should be given grants of lands as the best way of making them peaceful subjects. It is also recommended that the castle should be garrisoned by the King’s men.

The latter was evidently done, as shortly afterwards the Earl of Tyrconnell lodged a complaint against Captain Brook and his men being quartered in the castle with privileges, after he (the Earl) had in person expelled the discontents.

The following year (1608) Doe was again lost to the English in the rebellion of Sir Cahir O’Doherty. It was in charge of a man named Vaughan and six warders, when a cowherd and a friar arriving with the tale that a body of wolves had set upon the cattle, they easily managed to draw six of them from the stronghold, who were at once killed, and the castle seized and garrisoned for the enemy.

A party was organised to retake it, and in the encounter with the rebels Sir Cahir was killed.

The castle was captured by Sir Oliver Lambert, and it was said to be “the strongest hold in all the province, which endured a hundred blows of the demi-cannon before it yielded.”

Captain Elling was then appointed constable, and £76 13s. 4d. was granted him towards repairing the damage done by the cannon in the siege.

At this time it had a garrison of fifty men.

Sir Richard Bingley was appointed constable in 1610, and at the same time received a grant of land in the county. After this there seems to have been a succession of constables until it was captured by the Irish in 1641. Owen Roe O’Neill landed here the following year from Dunkirk, and, being met by Sir Phelim O’Neill with other chiefs and one thousand five hundred men, proceeded to Ballyshannon.

In 1646 Quartermaster Harrison asked for the possession of the castle, which the enemy had deserted, and offered to garrison and maintain it with thirty warders.

Sir Charles Coot captured it in 1650, and Colonel Miles M’Sweeny tried to retake it the same year.

The Harrisons sold it to the Harte family during the eighteenth century.

General Harte was present at the battle of Seringapatam, and the capture of Tippoo Sahib, whose servant was also taken prisoner at the same time, and afterwards came to Ireland with General Harte.

He lived at Doe Castle, and was devotedly attached to his new master. He always wore his native dress, and is reported to have slept fully armed on a mat at the General’s door.

He did not long survive his master, the General meeting with a sad death by falling down the stairway leading to the tower.

Cannon captured at Seringapatam were mounted on the lawn of the castle.

The Hartes subsequently let Doe to a Mr. Maddison, but it remained in the possession of the family until 1866, when it was purchased by Mr. Ards.

The history of Doe Castle is not altogether as clear on many points as could be wished, for the authorities seem to be greatly confused over many important points.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

State Papers. Harkin, “Scenery and Antiquities of North-West Donegal.” Joyce, “Irish Names of Places.” M’Devitt, “Donegal Highlands.” Parliamentary Gazetteer.

_DRIMNAGH CASTLE_

About three miles from Dublin, between Crumlin and Clondalkin, is situated the old fortress of Drimnagh or Druimneach, which signifies the “ridged lands,” so called from the proximity of the sand ridges called the Green Hills.

The castle is an oblong building with pointed battlements at the corners. A passage with an arched entrance high enough for a loaded cart to enter is visible from the road, above which rises three storeys, with a modern window in each.

A turret stairway also projects on this side and rises above the battlements. An ancient chimney flue is to be seen crowned by a modern addition.

A small turret rises above the battlements on the north side as well, at which side a strong, modern house has been added.

The castle is covered by a modern slated roof. Some outhouses bear marks of antiquity, and a little distance from the main building is a small, square tower, which, no doubt, formed an outpost for the garrison. The fortress was surrounded by a moat at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and its position can still be traced.

In 1215 the lands of Drimnagh were granted by King John to Hugh de Bernivall, and he is supposed to have built the castle early in this reign.

The lands were confirmed to his brother in 1221, and they remained in his descendants’ possession for four hundred years.

In 1435 Wolfran Barnewall had licence to entail his estates, and in 1613 the family leased the castle to Sir Adam Loftus, a nephew of the Archbishop, with the reservation that no timber was to be cut.

Some time later a Peter Barnewall succeeded to the property, and he was unwilling to renew Sir Adam’s lease, whereupon that gentleman endeavoured with some members of the Barnewall family to prevent his inheriting the estate, and proceeded at the same time to cut down the great trees which surrounded the fortress. After much litigation the King at length intervened on behalf of Barnewall, and Sir Adam was restrained from doing any more damage.

In 1649, after the battle of Rathmines, the Duke of Ormond seriously contemplated fortifying Drimnagh and making it his headquarters, but he was dissuaded by General Purcell.

Colonel Nicholas Walker, a Cromwellian officer, lived in the castle after the Restoration. It was said that he was present on the scaffold at the execution of Charles I. with his face covered by a vizor. The Hearth Money Returns of 1664 state that Drimnagh was occupied by “Lt.-Col. -----,” and had three “smooks” or chimneys.

In 1841 the fortress was the property of the Marquis of Lansdowne. It was one of the castles of the Pale, and the scene of Mr. R. D. Joyce’s romance entitled “The Rose of Drimnagh” is laid there.

Until lately it was inhabited by Mrs. Mylott, but it is now empty.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

D’Alton, “History of County Dublin.” P., “Drimnagh Castle,” in _Irish Penny Journal_. E. Ball, “Descriptive Sketch of Clondalkin, Tallaght,” &c., in _Journal of Royal Society of Antiquaries_, Ireland. Dix, “Lesser Castles in the County Dublin,” in _Irish Builder_. Joyce, “Rambles Round Dublin,” in _Evening Telegraph_ Reprints.

_DUBLIN CASTLE_

The situation chosen by the Norsemen for the first fortress of “Duibhlinn” (A.D. 840) was naturally strong, being on a hill at the junction of the Liffey and the Poddle. After this date we read of several raids upon the dun, or castle of Dublin, including the treacherous entry into the city of Milun DeCogan and Meyler Fitz-Henri during a truce, when all the defenders of the stronghold were put to the sword. This was shortly after the landing of Strongbow. The present area covered by Government buildings includes the ancient site.

When Henry II. came to Dublin a large wooden hall, covered with wattles, was erected in Dame Street, that he might entertain the Irish chiefs who came to pay homage. Upon his return to England he committed “Dublin with its castle and donjon to Hugh de Laci, Fitz-Stephen, and Morice Fitz-Gerald.” Hugh de Lacy became the first Viceroy. It was while he was in England that Meyler Fitz-Henry, who had been appointed Lord Justice in his absence, wrote to King John complaining that he had no safe place to store the King’s treasure, and asking for leave to erect a proper fortress. This he received in the form of a patent dated 1204, which says:--

“But you are first to finish one tower, unless afterwards a castle and palace, and other works that may require greater leisure, may be more conveniently raised, and that we should command you so to do.”

The grant consisted of 300 marks, which was owed to the King by G. Fitz-Robert, and there are no records to show whether FitzHenry ever collected the debt, or even began the castle in the three years afterwards for which he held office. It seems to be a very general opinion that the castle was built about 1220 by Henry Loundres, Archbishop of Dublin, either at his own expense, or that he advanced the money as a loan. A State paper, however, dated 1217, grants the Archbishop two cantreds without Dublin for damage done to his churches in fortifying the castle, and later there are many entries regarding compensation to be paid in money to Henry Loundres in lieu of land which had been encroached upon when extending the fortifications.

In 1242 an entry records that the windows of St. Edward’s Chapel belonging to the castle were to be glazed, and divine service held. This building seems to have been outside the fortress walls, on the site of the present Chapel Royal which was erected in 1814. In 1243 a hall was to be built 120 feet long and 80 feet wide. It was to have glazed windows, with a round one at the gable end 30 feet in diameter.

The entrance to the castle was by a drawbridge on the north side, the site now being occupied by the gate to the Upper Castle Yard. This bridge was flanked by two towers, and defended by a portcullis, and later by ordnance as well. From the gate towers, often used as State prisons, a high curtain or wall extended east and west. In the westward direction it joined what in later years was known as Cork Tower, because it was rebuilt by the great Earl of Cork in 1629, it having fallen in 1624, and been only partly restored. He spent £408 on it.

From this the wall was continued south to the Birmingham Tower, which is said to have derived its name from its having been erected either by John Birmingham, Earl of Louth, Lord Justice 1321, or Walter Birmingham, who held office in 1348. It is more likely, however, that this tower is identical with that known as the high tower, and that it received the name Birmingham after William Birmingham and his son Walter had been imprisoned there in 1331, otherwise the fortress would have been incomplete prior to 1321, and the side with least natural defence unprotected. From Birmingham Tower the curtain extended eastward (intersected by two smaller towers) to Wardrobe Tower. From this the wall was continued northward to the Store Tower near Dame’s Gate, which was in its turn connected with the eastern gate tower. There were two sallyports in the wall.

Of the eight towers which once protected the fortress only the Wardrobe Tower now remains, often erroneously called Birmingham Tower. This, as its name implies, is where the royal robe, cap of maintenance, and other furniture of state were kept. The sword of state is still preserved there, and also the records which were removed from Birmingham Tower. The lower portion is the original masonry, but an upper storey was added when the Chapel Royal was built. The Birmingham Tower was rendered unsafe by an explosion of gunpowder in Ship Street and had to be taken down. A lighter structure was erected on the site, which contains the present kitchen and viceregal supper-room. The other towers were gradually removed to make room for new buildings.

The Anglo-Irish used to decorate the gate and walls of the castle with the heads of the slain, and in 1316 some four hundred heads were sent from Wicklow for this purpose.

The castle did not become a permanent residence of the Viceroy until 1560 by order of Elizabeth, and in 1565 Henry Sydney took up his abode in it. He also enlarged and beautified it, and placed the State papers there in safe keeping.

The castle has stood several successful sieges. In 1478 Gerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, was superseded as Lord Deputy by Lord Grey of Codnor. He refused to resign, and Keating, Prior of Kilmainham, and Constable of the Castle, sided with him, and fortified the stronghold against the new Deputy. He destroyed the drawbridge, and Lord Grey, finding his numbers too small to force an entrance, returned to England, and Kildare was shortly afterwards reinstated.

Again, in 1534, young Lord Offaly, known as “Silken Thomas” from the splendour of his horses’ trappings, hearing a false report that his father had been treacherously executed in England, returned the Sword of State to the Council, which he held as Deputy in the Earl of Kildare’s absence, and commenced hostilities against the castle.

It is said the citizens readily admitted him within the walls of Dublin. His chief attack was from Ship Street, but the Constable of the castle getting the thatched houses there set on fire, the besiegers fell back into Thomas Street.

Lord Offaly having been obliged to commence hostilities against Ossary, the siege was not carried on with much heart. Many of the arrows sent into the castle were headless, and others bore letters saying some of the besiegers were really in sympathy with the King’s party.

Upon the rumour of help from England, the citizens closed the gates and made prisoners of the attackers.

Lord Thomas hurried back, and at once laid siege to the city itself, but his force was too small to have any effect.

As he had seized the Dublin children who had been sent to outlying villages on account of the plague, the citizens agreed to liberate his party if the little ones were restored. This was done, and shortly afterwards aid from England quelled the rebellion.

Several exciting escapes have been made by prisoners from the castle. In 1587 Hugh O’Donnell was confined in one of the gate towers for three years, when he and a companion managed to escape on to the drawbridge by a rope. He was, however, treacherously sent back to Dublin by O’Toole of Castlekevin, upon whose hospitality he had thrown himself. At this time a partly dry and partly wet moat surrounded Dublin Castle, and O’Donnell was now imprisoned in the Wardrobe Tower round which the Poddle flowed. He, however, escaped again the next year through the water, and, arriving after much hardship at Glenmalure, eventually reached the North in safety.

In 1697 Lord Delvin was imprisoned in one of the gate towers for taking part in a conspiracy against the King. The Lord Deputy hearing that he meditated escape, desired Tristram Ecclesten, Constable of the Castle, to remove his prisoner from the upper to a lower storey. Not only did Ecclesten neglect to do this, but he allowed Lord Delvin to have visitors, who managed to convey him a rope, by which he escaped. Next year he surrendered himself and was pardoned.

Law Courts and Parliaments have at different times been held in the castle.

In 1689 King James made a State entry, and stayed one night there after the battle of the Boyne.

In 1783 St. Patrick’s Hall was built. In 1784 the Viceregal Lodge was bought, and since then the State apartments of the castle have only been used during the Dublin season.

AUTHORITIES CONSULTED.

O’Donovan, “Annals of the Four Masters.” Calendar of Irish State Papers in England. Wright, “Historical Guide to Dublin.” Harris, “History of Dublin.” Marquis of Kildare, “Earls of Kildare.” Brewer, “Beauties of Ireland.” M’Gee, “History of Ireland.” Joyce, “History of Ireland.” Gilbert, “Castle of Dublin” (_University Magazine_). Haverty, “Ireland.” Collins, “Sydney State Letters.”

_DUNDANIEL CASTLE_

This castle is situated on the western margin of the Barony of Kinnelea, in the townland of Skevanish, County Cork. It stands on the left bank of the Bandon River, in the angle formed by the influx of the Brinny. It is half a mile above Innishannon, and three miles below Bandon.

The present name seems, from ancient documents, to be a corruption of Dundanier, or a word of the same phonetic sound. Different suggestions have been put forward as to the probable meaning of the original name, including “Dane’s Fort,” or “the fort of the foreigner,” and “the fort of the two rivers.” This latter would be a very appropriate appellation, its south and west sides being protected by the converging streams.

Nothing now remains of the castle save the keep, which measures 32 feet east and west, and 44 feet north and south.

The entrance is in a ruined state on the east side, and between it and the river on the south the masonry has almost wholly disappeared. The walls on the north and west are 6 feet thick, while on the south and east they measure 8 feet, although these sides have otherwise apparently less provision for defence.

Mr. Herbert Gillman gives a most interesting suggestion regarding this fact. He says that in all probability a winding stair was situated in the thickness of the walls at the south-east angle, the building of which has now disappeared, and that this stairway terminated at the hall or chief apartment of the castle usually occupied by the castellan. Upon the north-east angle of the tower is now the remains of a ruined turret, and Mr. Gillman thinks this is most likely to have been the protection for the egress to the _allur_ or battlemented walk, which was reached from the main chamber by a second stairway in this part of the wall. By such an arrangement no watchman could leave his post of duty without passing through the room in question, and thus a greater protection would be secured.

We learn from the Lismore papers that the top of the fortress was reached by a very narrow “pair of stairs.”

The tower is about 55 or 60 feet high. The stone arch which is usual in such buildings covering the internal space, is in this instance situated singularly high up, being immediately beneath the top storey, and there is no mark on the lower walls to show that a second ever existed. The ground floor was used for defence as well as for the usual store, and above it beams, on stone corbels, supported two oak floors between the basement and the arch. Light and air were chiefly admitted by long openings splayed for archery. It is interesting to note also the later apertures introduced after musketry superseded the bow and arrow.

Of the former outworks of the fortress little trace remains. On the east of the tower, at about a hundred yards distant, is what an old inhabitant stated to be a disused channel of the River Manghane or Brinny. This fact is borne out, and contradicted, respectively by several maps. The fact that the field lying west of the river is still called “Castle Garden” seems to point out that the channel of the Brinny has been changed. Also the north and west walls of the fortress have the greater number of crenellated openings, which show that they were considered the most vulnerable sides.

The Down Survey map of 1656 shows a dwelling-house to the east of the castle.

In the mortar on the inside surface of the arch, the marks of the twigs are still visible which formed part of the temporary support used when building. The mortar has much less lime than is usual in such work, no doubt from the distance it would have had to be brought.

These markings, as well as the general architecture, indicate that the date 1476, which is usually stated as the time of its erection, is likely to be accurate.

It is supposed to have been built by Barry Oge, or Barry the Younger, whose family displaced the O’Mahons in this district, being a descendant of Philip de Barry, the Anglo-Norman invader.

The lands of Innishannon were granted to the Barry Oge family either in Henry III.’s or Henry IV.’s reign.

In 1449 Barry Oge forfeited the confidence of the Crown, and his lands were seized for the King. But a letter of the time states that he was there “upon the King’s portion, paying his Grace never a penny of rent.” At this time wars at home and abroad had weakened the English power in Ireland, and it is most likely that Barry Oge built Dundaniel Castle to protect the lands he was holding in spite of the forfeiture.

In 1548 mention is made of a pirate called Colle coming to Kinsale in a pinnace and marrying Barry Oge’s aunt, living in his castle, and not allowing any one to enter Kinsale. Probably this castle was Dundaniel, where the honeymoon was being spent, but the Barry Oge himself does not seem to have shared the odium in which his uncle-in-law was held.

Pirates were a very grave trouble to the south coast for many years following.

After the Desmond rebellion Barry Oge’s land was again forfeited in 1588, and bestowed upon MacCarthy Reagh, and in 1599 “Downdandier” is referred to as being in his possession.

After the siege of Dunboy Castle, in 1602, Sir George Carew relates having sent some companies of foot soldiers to MacCarthy’s Castle of Dundaniel, to remain there until the army was leaving Munster.

Eight years later the estate was purchased by the East India Company for the sum of £7,000. They constructed a dock, where they built two ships, and colonised three villages with some three hundred English settlers.

They garrisoned the castle with “four light horse, six corslets, and ten muskets, trained at the Company’s charge.”

But this form of industrious innovation was not at all to the liking of the native inhabitants, and they so harassed the company’s workers that they were obliged to appeal to the Government for protection in 1613. This does not appear to have been accorded, as a second petition in the same year asks for leave to place three or four pieces of ordnance in the castle for defence against the “wylde Irish.”

The Company, still receiving no Government aid, relinquished their enterprise. In the “Castle Garden” slag, like the refuse of ironworks is still found, which is most likely the remains of the East India Company’s industry.

After this the MacCarthys seem to have again taken possession of the castle, and a scion of the old house, named Teige O’Connor, occupied Dundaniel upon the breaking out of hostilities in 1642.

This O’Connor seems to have been a man of unqualified barbarity. A MS. in Trinity College records a most unwarrantable attack by him on five peaceful fishermen who were whipping the rivers near the stronghold. By his orders they were seized by some of the garrison and carried within the castle. Four of them were hanged at once, and the fifth offered £10 for his life. This was accepted, and some of them accompanied him to his house to receive it. Upon finding where he kept his money, they seized the whole of it, amounting to £35, and then hanged the unfortunate owner.

John Langton, writing to the Earl of Cork, gives a most graphic description of the assault upon Dundaniel Castle on the 20th of April, 1642, when the English forces marched from Bandon under the command of Lord Kinalmeaky and Captain Aderly of Innishannon.

It appears a party of rebels had seized some cattle and brutally killed four children and wounded a fifth, who were minding them near the town. The distracted parents traced the crime to the garrison of Dundaniel Castle, “neere the ould iron worke.” So horse and foot marched out, recovered the cattle save one animal, and attacked the castle.

Three of the besiegers were killed and six wounded by shot and stone from the fortress, but the musketeers posted themselves round the castle and on the neighbouring hill, and kept up a fire of small shot so that each of the defenders who looked out was killed.