Rahan Castle
| Rahan Castle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alternative name (s): | McSwyne's Castle, Castle Murray | |
| Creation time : | Mid 15th century | |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Standing position : | Irish nobility | |
| Construction: | Quarry stone | |
| Place: | Dunkineely | |
| Geographical location | 54 ° 37 '7.8 " N , 8 ° 22' 49.3" W | |
| Height: | 0 m ASLTemplate: height / unknown reference | |
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Rahan Castle , also McSwyne's Castle or Castle Murray , which is ruin a lowland castle from the 15th century on the promontory St John's Point near the village of Dunkineely in Irish County Donegal . It was once a Clan Sweeney fortress .
history
The McSwynes probably came to Ireland in the 13th century, according to other sources, not until the 14th century from the Scottish Argyll . They were foot soldiers and standard bearers of the O'Donnells . In later years, the McSwynes ( Irish McSuibhne ) fought alongside the O'Neills , suggesting that they were mercenaries.
In the mid-15th century, the McSwynes had their castle built; the land belonged to them until the Plantation of Ulster . With the conquest by the Scots, the land and castle fell to the conquerors; King James VI of Scotland lent it to William Stuart and later to John Murray , who was made Earl of Annandale in 1625 . When John Murray died in 1640, his son James inherited the castle and title. James died childless and so the castle fell to his cousin Robert Creighton , who took the name "Murray".
After the rebellion of 1641 , during the reign of King Charles II, a dispute over ownership of the castle and lands broke out between the Creightons and Robert Murray from Scotland, another second cousin. After years of litigation in England , Scotland and Ireland, the Creightons lost the property. The castle was no longer inhabited and quickly fell into disrepair. In 1844, blocks from the ruins were used to build the parish church in Killybegs , which is dedicated to the Annunciation .
But even the Scottish line of the Murray family could not definitively prove their ownership rights, and so they could not sell the property until the 19th century. The tenants felt more inclined to the Irish Creightons than the Scottish Murrays, and ended up paying their rent to David Creighton . The Murrays remained the official owners of the property until the Irish Land Commission took it over in the 20th century .