Castle Donovan

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Castle Donovan
Castle Donovan

Castle Donovan

Alternative name (s): Caisleán Uí Dhonnabháin, Castledonovan, O'Donovan's Castle, Sowagh, Sooagh, Suagh
Creation time : 1560-1584
Castle type : Niederungsburg (Tower House)
Conservation status: ruin
Standing position : Irish nobility
Construction: Quarry stone
Place: Dirmoleague
Geographical location 51 ° 41 ′ 31.7 "  N , 9 ° 16 ′ 58"  W Coordinates: 51 ° 41 ′ 31.7 "  N , 9 ° 16 ′ 58"  W
Height: 144  m ASLTemplate: height / unknown reference
Castle Donovan (Ireland)
Castle Donovan
Construction work on Castle Donovan in 2007

Castle Donovan ( Irish Gaelic : Caisleán Uí Dhonnabháin ), also Castledonovan or O'Donovan's Castle , the ruins of a tower house in a valley near the village Dirmoleague in Irish County Cork . For a time in the 16th century, the castle was the seat of the Clann-Cathail clan of the O'Donovan family . The original name of the castle, when the O'Donovans lived there before the 17th century, was "Sowagh" (also "Sooagh" or "Suagh"). The name "Castle Donovan" after the Manor of the Castle of O'Donovan is associated with the reassignment by King James II of England in 1615. Castle Donovan sits about 18 meters high on a large rock that forms the ground floor on the banks of the River Ilen . It is believed that it was built, or at least expanded, from 1560 to 1584 for Donal of the Hides, Lord of Clancahill . His son, Donal II. O'Donovan , had the building repaired and altered a few decades later, but did not live there at the time. It is thought that his father moved the family seat to the more profitable Rahine Manor on the seashore in the first decade of the 17th century to defend the family's maritime interests.

Legend has it that the Tower House was badly damaged and powdered by the soldiers of Oliver Cromwell in the late 1640s in revenge for Donal III. O'Donovan joined the House of Stuart for his involvement in the rebellion and massacre of 1641; since then it has been uninhabitable.

In 1834 Philip Dixon Hardy published a report in the Dublin Penny Journal about his trip to the "Vale of Castle Donovan" in 1828 and enclosed a drawing showing many of the outbuildings. He wrote:

“(...) It is difficult to think of anything more wild, desolate or lonely than this wild valley. (...) I reached the height that dominates it from the east, around two [o'clock] in the afternoon on a warm, sunny day. There are no trees in the area and the heather-like vegetation on the hills could not show any signs of the advanced season. In the middle of the valley below me was the tall, fortified tower; an extensive, damp meadow lay behind it, bounded by the steep, rocky hills of Mullaugh-Nesha and her pointed brothers. "

The enclosure of the Tower House and the outbuildings no longer exist, but more than 2/3 of the tower have been preserved. The explosion in the 17th century left only a small splinter on the southwest corner, but caused huge cracks in the masonry, which meant that the whole tower was no longer stable. Over two centuries later, the entire western wall (with the exception of the spiral staircase) and much of the southern wall collapsed. Between 2001 and 2014, Castle Donovan was secured by the Office of Public Works . Castle Donovan is listed as a National Monument.

Individual references and comments

  1. ↑ The ruins of the main family residence on this country estate are called Raheen Castle ; they are in Myross at the port of Castlehaven .
  2. ^ The Dublin Penny Journal . Pp. 137-139. 1835. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  3. ↑ Mike Searle: Photos of Castledonovan Castle during restoration . 2007. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  4. ↑ Dáil Éireann - 22 January 2014 - Written Answers Nos. 82-90 - Public Procurement Regulations - Office of Public Works Projects . Houses of the Oireachtas (Hansard). January 22, 2014. Accessed June 28, 2018.

swell

Web links

Commons : Castle Donovan  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files