Derryhiveny Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Derryhiveny Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Caisleán Dhoire Shuibhne |
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| Derryhivenny Castle | |
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| Type | tower house |
| Location | Derryhiveny South, Portumna, County Galway, Ireland |
| Built | 1643 |
| Owner | State |
| Official name: Derryhiveny Castle | |
| Reference no. | 283 |
Derryhiveny Castle is an old stone building called a tower house. It is also a special National Monument in County Galway, Ireland. This castle is a great example of a strong home built many years ago.
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Where is Derryhiveny Castle?
Derryhiveny Castle is found about 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles) northeast of Portumna. It sits on the west bank of the River Shannon.
History of the Castle
The O'Madden Family
The O'Madden family owned the land around Derryhiveny for a very long time. They lived there from about the year 950 AD. Their ownership lasted until the mid-1600s.
On February 5, 1639, John O'Madden, who was the head of the family, passed away. His lands were then given to his son, Daniel O'Madden. Daniel decided to build a strong new home for himself.
Building the Tower House
Daniel O'Madden built Derryhiveny Castle in the year 1643. We know the exact year it was built from a special message. This message is carved into one of the stone supports called a corbel. It is found under a small turret, or tower, called a bartizan.
The message is written in Latin and says: "D:O'M ME:FIERI:FECIT 1643". This means "Daniel O'Madden had me made in 1643."
What the Castle Looks Like
Derryhiveny Castle is a tower house with four levels, or storeys. Each of these four levels has a strong arched ceiling called a vault. This design made the castle very sturdy.
Inside the Castle
The rooms on the upper levels have windows with two or three mullions. Mullions are the vertical bars that divide a window into sections. These rooms also have fireplaces to keep them warm. One fireplace has a special stone beam above it called a lintel. This lintel is shaped with a sloped edge, called a chamfer, and curves downwards at each end. It also has a decorative top edge called a cornice.
Outside the Castle
Around the castle, you can still see parts of a defensive wall. This wall is known as a bawn. There are also remains of a wall walk, which was a path on top of the walls. From this path, defenders could look out or shoot arrows. The castle also had crenellations, which are the notched battlements on top of the walls. These were used for protection during attacks.
