Dundanion Castle Explained

Dundanion Castle
Native Name:Dún Daingean
Native Language:Irish
Area:Blackrock, Cork, Ireland
Architecture:Fortified limestone tower house
Built For:Galwey family
Coordinates:51.8974°N -8.4204°W

Dundanion Castle [1] is a Tudor tower house in the Blackrock area of Cork in Ireland.[2] Previously known as Galwey's Castle,[3] the ruin is located on the grounds of the much later "Dundanion House".[4] [5]

History

Though built on or close to the site of an earlier structure,[2] the existing limestone ruin dates to c.1564.[6] Built by the Galwey family, the castle is marked (as "Galwaies castle") on the Pacata Hibernia map of Cork which dates to the late 16th century.[1] [7]

Owing to later land reclamation, the castle is now located some distance from the waterfront of the River Lee.[8] However an adjacent slipway demonstrates an earlier use,[8] and some sources ascribe the castle as William Penn's departure point on one of his voyages to the Americas ahead of the founding of Pennsylvania in the 1680s.[3] [9]

The castle changed hands several times before falling into ruin. Several grand houses were built in the castle demesne before architect, Sir Thomas Deane built "Dundanion House" in the 1830s.[4] [5] Contemporary Deane family diaries mention stonemasons making "a ‘picturesque ruin'" of Dundanion Castle during the construction of Dundanion House.[8]

Though partly visible from the public walkway of the old Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway, the castle ruin lies on the grounds of Dundanion House, which is private property and not publicly accessible. The castle is listed by Cork City Council as a protected structure (PS492),[10] [11] and it is included on the Irish national Record of Monuments and Places (CO 074-049).[12]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Windele, John . Historical and descriptive notices of the City of Cork and its vicinity . John Windele. 1849 . Bradford & Co. . 173 . 28 September 2012 . dundanion. .
  2. Web site: Ballintemple National School - Our Locality - Dundanion Castle . Ballintemplens.ie . https://web.archive.org/web/20120213071722/http://www.ballintemplens.ie/dundanioncastle.htm . 13 February 2012 . 2012-09-28.
  3. Web site: Dundanion Castle Article by Micheal Lenihan . The Douglas Weekly . 14 October 1999 . 2012-09-28.
  4. Book: O'Dwyer, Frederick . The Architecture of Deane and Woodward . 1997 . Cork University Press . Cork, Ireland . 0902561855 . 6 . 26 September 2012 .
  5. News: The gates are open for a large family at Dundanion House . Irish Examiner . 17 May 2014 .
  6. Irish National Monuments Service - Archaeological Survey of Ireland - Entry for Dundanion Castle (Reference CO 074-049)
  7. Web site: Cork Past and Present - Pacata Hibernia map, 1585-1600 . Cork City Library . 2012-09-28.
  8. Web site: McCarthy . Kieran . Blackrock Historical Walking Tour, Sunday 13 May 2012 - Our City Our Town . Cork Independent . 2012-05-13 . 2012-09-28 . dead. https://archive.today/20130119163004/http://corkindependent.com/stories/item/9074/2012-19/Our-City-Our-Town . 19 January 2013 .
  9. Book: Pennsylvania society, Barr Ferree . Report on William Penn memorial in London . 1911 . The Pennsylvania society . 109 . 28 September 2012 .
  10. Web site: Cork City Development Plan - Volume 2 - Record of Protected Structures . Cork City Council . 2004.
  11. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20161113004309/http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/mediamaster-s3eu/f55128e961c4484355511d585a94f2e3 . Dundanion House, Blackrock . Sherry FitzGerald . 13 November 2016 . dead.
  12. Web site: Cork City Council Meeting Minutes from 22 March 2010 - Response to questions by Counsellor B. Bermingham on Dundanion Castle . 22 March 2010 . Cork City Council . https://web.archive.org/web/20111118160545/http://www.corkcity.ie/services/corporateaffairs/minutesofordinarymeetings/minutes2010/Min%20s%20Council%20Meeting%20220310.pdf . 18 November 2011.