User:Michael O'Callaghan IV/sandbox

O'Doherty castles

The O'Doherty clan built or occupied 10 castles in and around their territory of the Inishowen peninsula in Co. Donegal, Ireland. These include:


 * Caislean Nua (a.k.a. Elaghmore Castle at Elagh or Aileach Greencastle and Northburgh Castle) is located at Elagh or Aileach on the shore of Lough Foyle. It was built in 1305 by the Anglo-Norman Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster (a.k.a. Richard de Burgo, the Red Earl of Ulster), but was taken by the O’Dohertys in 1333 following the collapse of Norman power in the North-West of Ireland, and held by them until it was destroyed by siege in 1555.
 * O'Doherty's Keep is the only surviving part of an original 14th-century Norman castle located on the Northern bank of the River Crana as it enters Lough Swilly. It’s a three story building, the first two levels of which were built after 1333.[4][5]. In 1601 it was inhabited by Conor McGarret O’Doherty. In 1602 the third level was added and it was upgraded by Hugh Boy O’Doherty as an intended base for military aid from the Spanish armada that intended to land at Inch. The keep was burned by English Crown forces in 1608 in reprisal for the rebellion of Sir Cahir O'Doherty after he sacked and razed the city of Derry. The Keep and the lands were seized in 1608 by Sir Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester after Sir Cahir O’Doherty led a rebellion and was killed.
 * Inch Castle is located on the southern tip of Inch Island in County Donegal, Ireland. The castle was constructed around 1430 by Neachtain O'Donnell (brother of Niall Garbh O'Donnell who died in 1439) for his father-in-law Cahir O'Doherty who died in 1438. The O'Doherty's were the dominant family on the nearby peninsula of Inishowen and had close links with the O'Donnell dynasty. It came to form part of the defensive network of O'Doherty fortifications designed to protect them from rival clans and to overawe those who accepted their overlordship.
 * Donegal Castle is located in the centre of Donegal Town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. It was built by Sir Hugh O'Donnell in 1484 and was the seat of the Earls O’Donnell who were cousins of the O’Dohertys). It did not belong to the O'Dohertys but would probably have often been visited by them in the middle ages.
 * Doe Castle near Creeslough, Co. Donegal. Built in the early 1400s, it was one of Donegal’s strongest fortifications and played a pivotal role in Irish history. Sir Cahir O'Doherty set up his headquarters here before his attack on Derry in 1608; the Castle was recovered by the Mac Sweeney in 1641 and it was at Doe Castle that Owen Roe O’Neill landed on his return from Europe in 1642 to lead the Ulster Army of the Irish Confederate [ Confederate Ireland ] forces during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms when Scotland and Ireland rebelled against England, leading to the execution of King Charles I of England and the brutal Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649.
 * Carrickabraghy Castle. The place is first mentioned in 834. Built before 1600 by Phelemy Brasleigh O’Doherty. Because of its seclusion it was chosen by Sir Cahir O'Doherty to plan his revolt.
 * Culmore Castle (Cuil-mor, meaning “large point” or “angle”) is located at the mouth of Lough Foyle. It was a originally built as a fort of the O’Dohertys, according to to the poet Dugald Mac Fadyen in a footnote to his poem, Cahir Roe . The castle was first held by the Crown of England in 1559. The English soldier Sir Henry Docwra, 1st Baron Docwra of Culmore landed with a force of 4000 foot and 200 horse troops at Culmore on 16 May 1600 to quell a rebellion. It was then captured by Sir Cahir O'Doherty in april 1608 the day before he besiged and destroyed the English settlement at Derry.
 * Burt Castle is located close to Newtowncunningham and Burt, County Donegal, Ireland. It was built by the O'Dohertys around 1560–1580. Historically it was sometimes spelt as Birt Castle. It is also known by the name O'Doherty's Castle, and should not be mistaken for O'Doherty's Castle near Buncrana); Sir Cahir O'Doherty took up residence there in 1601
 * O’Doherty’s Tower; Built in 1615 by Patrick O’Doherty inside the city walls of Derry “to satisfy tax liability owed to the O’Donnells”.
 * Buncrana Castle (early or mid 1600s).
 * Inch castle - check