Dunmore Castle
| Dunmore Castle | |
|---|---|
| Native name Irish: Caisleán an Dúin Mhóir | |
 | |
| Type | keep (donjon) |
| Location | Castlefarm, Dunmore, County Galway, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°37′26″N 8°45′20″W / 53.623756°N 8.755581°W |
| Built | 14th–16th century |
| Owner | State |
  Location of Dunmore Castle in Ireland | |
| Official name | Dunmore Castle |
| Reference no. | 248[1] |
Dunmore Castle is a castle and National Monument located in County Galway, Ireland.[2][3][4]
Location[edit]
Dunmore Castle is located 1 km (0.62 mi) northwest of Dunmore, County Galway, on the north bank of the Sinking River.[5]
History[edit]
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Tradition states that Dunmore (Irish dún mór, "great hillfort") was a lesser residence of the ancient Kings of Connacht.[6]
The first castle at Dunmore was built by De Birmingham family in the early 13th century as a bulwark against Gaelic Irish attacks.[citation needed]
In 1249 Dunmore was attacked and burned by the Ó Conchubhair (O'Conors). In 1284 it was besieged by the Síol Maelruain under Fiachra O'Flynn.[citation needed]
In 1315 the castle was damaged by Rory O'Conor during the Bruce campaign in Ireland.[citation needed]
Most of the present structure dates from the early 14th century, i.e. the reigns of Edward II and III as Lords of Ireland: it was a two-storey hall keep. Dunmore Castle was modified in the 16th century, with extra floors, roof gables, chimneys, windows and a ground floor entrance.[citation needed]
The de Berminghams rebelled against Queen Elizabeth I and the castle was taken from them in 1569 by Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, although it was later returned.[7]
The castle was seized from the de Berminghams permanently in the Cromwellian era (1650s).[8] It was occupied by the Ouseley family (including the famous preacher Gideon Ouseley) until the 19th century.[9][10][11]
A lime kiln was built on the site in the 19th century. The castle is at present under the protection of the Office of Public Works.
Description[edit]
The castle is a rectangular five-storey keep measuring 14 m × 8.2 m (46 ft × 27 ft) at base with a large base-batter.
There is evidence for a garderobe at the northwest. The windows include an oculus, mullions and arrowslits. Some of the curtain wall survives.[12]
References[edit]
- ^ "National Monuments of County Galway in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 2. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- ^ Sweetman, David (10 February 1999). Medieval Castles of Ireland. Collins Press. ISBN 9781898256755 – via Google Books.
- ^ McNeill, T. E. (18 August 2005). Castles in Ireland: Feudal Power in a Gaelic World. Routledge. ISBN 9781134708864 – via Google Books.
- ^ (M.A.), Gerard P. Moran (10 February 1996). Galway: History and Society. Geography Publications. ISBN 9780906602751 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Dunmore Castle". historicsitesofireland.blogspot.ie.
- ^ Spellissy, Sean (1 January 1999). The history of Galway. Celtic Bookshop. ISBN 9780953468331 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Old Dunmore". www.askaboutireland.ie.
- ^ "Dunmore Castle Dunmore County Galway Ireland". dunmore.galway-ireland.ie.
- ^ "Dunmore Castle". landedestates.nuigalway.ie.
- ^ "Ouseley". landedestates.nuigalway.ie.
- ^ Harbison, Peter (10 February 2018). 'Our Treasure of Antiquities': Beranger and Bigari's Antiquarian Sketching Tour of Connacht in 1779 : Based on Material in the National Library of Ireland and the Royal Irish Academy. Wordwell. ISBN 9781869857530 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Dunmore Castle, Co. Galway - Irish Archaeology". irisharchaeology.ie.