Castleknock Castle facts for kids
Castleknock Castle is an old, ruined castle from the Norman times. It is located on the grounds of Castleknock College, an all-boys school in Castleknock, Dublin, Ireland.
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What the Castle Looks Like
The castle sits on a high spot, and its strong walls and two deep ditches show how powerful it once was. Today, the castle ruins are covered in ivy, and the whole hill is full of large trees. It's a quiet and peaceful place.
Before the stone castle was built, there might have been an earlier mound here. The castle had a unique, many-sided main tower called a keep. A large, low building was attached to it. A strong outer wall with towers surrounded the castle, and there was a ditch or moat around it. Now, trees hide the ruins, so you can only see them from the road in winter. An old drawing from Francis Place shows the castle already in ruins, but not as broken down as it is today.
There's also a small hill west of Castleknock College called Windmill Hill. A water tower stands there now. It was first built as an observatory (a place to watch stars) by a past owner, Simon Guinn.
Castle History
Ancient Discovery
People found proof that this spot was important even before the Normans built the castle. An ancient pagan monument called a cromlech was discovered.
In 1861, workers found an old cromlech, or "Druid's altar," inside the castle ruins while digging a grave. They found a large flat stone that was too heavy to move. When they broke a piece off, they found an empty space underneath with a human skeleton lying there. The head and larger bones were mostly whole. There were also small piles of whitish dust. The workers didn't know what they had found and kept digging. Later, people realized it was an ancient cromlech, used as a burial place for kings or important people in pagan times. The skeleton was so old that when air touched the bones, some turned to dust.
Old Name: Cnucha
The area where Castleknock stands was known as "Cnucha" a very long time ago. Records from the year 726 mention someone named Congalach who died at Cnucha. This shows the place was important even in the early 700s.
How the Castle Started
The Norman knight, Hugh Tyrrel, built Castleknock Castle. He later became the Baron of Castleknock. He chose this spot because it was on a ridge of hills (an esker) that stretched from Galway to Dublin. Built on two mounds of this ridge, the castle controlled the main road into Dublin from the west.
Castleknock was the last meeting point for the army of Rory O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland. He tried to push the Normans out of the Dublin area in 1171 but failed.
After this, Hugh Tyrrel made his fortress much stronger. He added new defenses, like heavy battlements and a deep double ditch. It became a very tough castle to attack.
Abbey Founded
The Abbey of St. Brigid was started by Richard Tyrrell, the second Baron of Castleknock, in 1184. It was built where the Protestant church is now. The abbey grew until monasteries were closed down. Then, it was torn down, and a Protestant church was built in its place.
Captured by Robert the Bruce
In 1316, Robert the Bruce, the King of Scotland, came to Ireland to help his brother Edward Bruce, who had been crowned King of Ireland. Robert the Bruce marched towards Dublin with 20,000 men to attack the city. Their first move was to capture Castleknock.
The old castle, which was thought to be very strong, could not hold out for long against Robert the Bruce. He took the castle, captured Hugh Tyrrell, and made the castle his headquarters.
Everyone thought Ireland would soon be free from English rule. There was a big celebration at the castle with Irish and Scottish leaders. But their joy didn't last long. Bruce saw that Dublin was ready for a long fight and had plenty of supplies. The people of Dublin were also very determined. After a few days, he let Tyrrell go after getting a ransom. Bruce then left the city. He soon left Ireland, leaving his brother to continue the war.
English Civil War Impact
Castleknock Castle saw many battles. One story from 1642 tells of a brave Irish lady.
A small story found in Paris tells about "The Courageous Decision of an Irish Lady at the Capture of Castleknock." It was a letter written by an Irish officer to friends in France soon after the event.
In 1642, the Earl of Ormond, a Protestant leader, marched from Dublin with 4,500 soldiers. The next day, he attacked Castleknock Castle. The castle belonged to Lady de Lacy, whose husband was fighting with the Catholic army in Ireland. He left his wife to defend the castle with only 50 men, trusting her courage.
Lady de Lacy was indeed brave. She helped her men kill 400 of the attackers over four days. When her ammunition ran out, she gathered all her clothes, money, jewels, and valuable items. She then set them on fire so the enemy would get no treasure. She also broke all the weapons, except those her soldiers were using. As the fire burned, she spoke to her soldiers:
"My loyal servants, you can see from what I've done that we can expect no kindness from our enemies. They will not spare us. Remember, 'the defeated should expect nothing from their enemies.' Be brave and fight to the death for your faith! You can't find a better way to die. Attack the enemy now, so that if you are captured, you won't be forced to give up your faith. I will lead you by example."
After this, the castle was set on fire by the defenders. They rushed out, swords in hand. Many of the attackers were killed, but all the defenders who charged out died, except for Lady de Lacy, who was captured by the Earl of Ormond.
General Monk's Attack
The castle was partly taken apart after the War of the Three Kingdoms. It had been badly damaged by cannons.
When the English Parliament fought against King Charles, the Irish supported the King. The lords of Castleknock joined the fight and raised the King's flag on their castle walls. This sealed their fate.
General Monk marched from Dublin with a strong army and cannons. He attacked the castle in 1642. The castle was still very strong, with high walls and deep-set windows. But the soldiers defending it were too few. Heavy cannons fired, shaking the walls. When 80 defenders had fallen, the castle was stormed and taken. The soldiers fought bravely, but the Parliament's army showed no mercy. The survivors were put on trial for fighting against the state and were hanged from the very walls they had defended.
Monk left a strong force in the castle when he returned to Dublin. Even though it was damaged, it was still an important place. But its time was running out.
Owen Roe O'Neill's Capture
In 1647, Owen Roe O'Neill, an Irish leader, marched towards Dublin. He found Castleknock held by the English and decided to take it. Colonel Trevor tried to stop him with cavalry, but they were quickly defeated. O'Neill then began another siege. This was too much for the old castle, which was already falling apart. It surrendered to the Irish hero.
Today at the Castle
The grassy area inside the old castle walls is now a burial place for priests of St. Vincent de Paul. Many dedicated missionaries are buried there. This spot, once stained with the blood of heroes, is now a sacred cemetery. Soldiers who fought for Ireland and priests who worked for its spiritual well-being now rest side by side.
Books About Castleknock
- Dónal MacPolin and Peter Sobolewski, Blanchardstown, Castleknock and the Park, 2001, Cottage Publications ISBN: 1-900935-22-8
- James O'Driscoll, Cnucha: A history of Castleknock and district, 1977, privately issued
- Jim Lacey, A Candle in the Window, 1999 Marino Publications ISBN: 978-1-85635-552-0
- Tadhg O'Keeffe, Medieval Irish Buildings, pp 230-231 2015 Four Courts Press ISBN: 978-1-84682-248-3
Castleknock College
