User:Lairch a Carraig na Curragh/sandbox/Carraig na Curragh

Carrignacurra (Irish: Carraig na Curragh)

Carraig na Curragh is a 10th century castle on the banks of the River Lee, Inchigeelagh, near Macroom, County Cork, Republic of Ireland. The location is a bedrock promontory which commands a ford for the old Macroom-Dunmanway road across the River Lee. While the current form is that of a 16th century Tower House archaeological and masonry evidence demonstrates that the castle was built in the 10th century and modified extensively throughout its history. The original portions of the structure are those of a Norman style fortification with Norman arches, early flooring structure and a flat top with a round tower located in the northeast corner. Subsequent modifications added a bartizan to the northwest corner covering both the north and west faces but required closing off a lower interior room. A wing was added diagonally from the southeast corner to better cover the east facing door and the south face.

At a later date, estimated by style to be the 16th century, the roof top of the Norman construction was enclosed and the round tower was partially dismantled. A straight staircase was added to circumvent the round tower elements and now leads to an additional floor added above. Exiting out to the crenelated wall an additional set of steps leads up to a square tower at the northeast corner. Another interior room or water cistern accessed from the roof of the Norman structure was closed off with stone. Thus, the basic structure is believed to be approximately a thousand years old, while the last modification into a classic tower house design occurred approximately five hundred years ago.

Carraig na Curragh has a number of surviving features that are relatively rare. The vaulted ceiling in the great room retains nearly all of the wicker impression from the time of the construction. A guard room also retains nearly all basket weave impression. Outside, on the banks of the river, a circular pond with a water inlet and outlet remains. This is thought by archaeologists to be a pond for processing flax. Several square tower bases have been recently discovered indicating a military defensive wall rather than a typical bawn wall. This wall may predate the structure itself. Also still extant, and still in use, is the adjacent farm which includes the original stone stables.

About 800 meters towards the west is the corresponding church. The 1492 inventory of the Vatican lists a church at this location. In 1814 a new Church of Ireland structure replaced the original church. Buried there are members of the O'Leary Clan going back to at least the 15th century.

Carraig na Curragh is the last standing O'Leary (Irish: Ui Laoghaire, O Laoghaire, O Laoire) castle. The other two castles, Drumcarra and Carrignaneela, stood to the east near the current village of Toonsbridge but have been completely demolished and little remains. While the style of the original construction of Carraig na Curragh is Norman, a 10th century date for construction could coincide with the retreat of the O'Leary Clan from Rosscarbery on the southern coast when a Norman force landed there. Thus it is possible that the O'Leary Clan built the original structure or took it from the original builders. The Lee Valley area was Norse, said to be Danes, at the time. Thus there is a historical confluence of Norman, Norse and Irish at this location at that time. However, as far back as the 15th century the castle is listed as being a stronghold of the O'Leary Clan.

During the Irish retreat from the Battle of Kinsale, Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare's troops laid seige to Carraig na Curragh. After three days, the garrison of the castle joined O'Sullivan Beare's army and participated in O'Sullivan's March to Leitrim. There are plans to make Carraig na Curragh a loop off of the Beara-Breifne Way long-distance walking trail.

During the Comwellian conquest of Ireland Cromwell's New Model Army campaigned through the area. Roger Boyle, Earl of Orrery, after winning battle of near Macroom, made his headquarters at nearby Blarney Castle. His men ranged out from there utilizing Kilcrea Abbey while demilitarizing all of the local fortifications including Carraig na Curragh. Archaeologists have identified structural and weapon stones at the base of Carraig na Curragh which were thrown down from the top.

Carraig na Curragh is listed in the Civil Survey of Ireland of 1654-56 as having been laid ruin. In the confiscation that followed, the castle and surrounding land was given to the Hollow Blade Sword Company as payment for weapons manufactured. The Hollow Blade Sword Company sold Carraig na Curragh to the Masters family. The Masters built a small manor house adjacent to the castle and called the complex Castle Masters.

On 3, January 1920 the castle was used by the Irish Republican Army, (IRA) as a rally point for the attack on the Inchigeelagh barracks of the Royal Irish Constabulary, (RIC) and is said to have been used as a rally point or hideout for subsequent IRA operations.

Currently Carraig na Curragh is undergoing complete private restoration under the supervision of architect James Bourke of Middleton, County Cork, with a projected completion date late summer of 2021. It will be open to the public after completion.