Donore Castle Explained

Donore Castle
Native Name:Caiseal Dhún Uabhair
Native Language:ga
Coordinates:53.4934°N -6.942°W
Location:Donore, Ballivor,
County Meath, Ireland
Area:Boyne Valley
Built:1430s
Height:12m (39feet)
Designation1:National Monument of Ireland
Designation1 Offname:Donore Castle
Designation1 Number:232

Donore Castle is a tower house (caiseal) and National Monument in County Meath, Ireland.[1]

Location

Donore Castle is located on the north bank of the Boyne, south of the R161, just upriver of the point where it meets the Enfield Blackwater.[2]

History

In 1429 Henry VI, King of England and Lord of Ireland in an effort to defend The Pale, granted ten pounds to any of his subjects who built a small defensive tower (20 × 16 × 40 feet) on the edge of the Pale before 1439. The tower house at Donore is assumed to be one of these castles, built by the local power, the Mac Eochagáin (McGeoghegans). In 1650, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, the castle was taken by forces under Sir John Reynolds and over 40 members of the McGeoghegan family were massacred.[3]

According to the Civil Survey (1654–56) Garrat Lench of "Donowre" owned 220acres in 1640, and on the property was ‘a Castle and Orchard, a weare and some cottages.’ An illustration from 1785 shows the castle occupied with a hip roof (where all sides slope downwards to the walls).

Building

The castle has three storeys, and measures 7.3 × 6.3 m at the base, and is 12m (39feet) tall with rounded corners a projecting round tower at the corner housing a spiral staircase.[4] It has a vaulted roof on the lower floor and mural garderobe and a fireplace on the upper floors. The ceilings were supported on corbels. One of the Castle's defenses is a murder hole situated at roof level above the entrance door. There are also carved heads of a king and bishop above the doorway.[5] [6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The tragic history of the MacGeoghegan's of Donore Castle - Irish Origenes: Use Family Tree DNA to Discover Your Genetic Origins - Clans of Ireland - Irish Surnames Map. 29 August 2016. 13 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161113034659/http://www.irishorigenes.com/content/tragic-history-macgeoghegans-donore-castle. dead.
  2. Web site: Donore Castle, Co. Meath.
  3. Web site: Donore Castle, Meath, Ireland. Ed Hannon-Visions of the. Past. 22 July 2013.
  4. Web site: Donore Castle.
  5. Web site: Historic Sites of Ireland: Donore Castle.
  6. Web site: Ireland In Ruins: Donore Castle Co Meath.
  7. Web site: Travelmania Ireland - Donore Castle Ruins, County Meath.