Donore Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Donore Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Caiseal Dhún Uabhair |
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| Type | tower house |
| Location | Donore, Ballivor, County Meath, Ireland |
| Area | Boyne Valley |
| Height | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Built | 1430s |
| Official name: Donore Castle | |
| Reference no. | 232 |
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Donore Castle is an old tower house (which is like a tall, strong stone house) in County Meath, Ireland. It is also a National Monument, meaning it's a very important historical site that is protected.
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Where to Find Donore Castle
Donore Castle is located on the north side of the River Boyne. This famous river flows through the area. The castle is just a short distance from the R161 road. It sits close to where the River Boyne meets another river called the Enfield Blackwater.
The Story of Donore Castle
Why Donore Castle Was Built
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In 1429, King Henry VI ruled both England and Ireland. He wanted to protect an area in Ireland called The Pale. The Pale was a part of Ireland that was controlled by the English. To help defend it, King Henry offered money to people who would build small defensive towers. He offered ten pounds to anyone who built a tower house (about 20 feet by 16 feet and 40 feet tall) by 1439.
It's believed that Donore Castle was one of these "ten-pound castles." It was likely built by the Mac Eochagáin (McGeoghegan) family, who were powerful in that area.
A Difficult Time for the Castle
In 1650, during a time of war called the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, the castle was attacked. Forces led by Sir John Reynolds took control of Donore Castle. Sadly, during this event, many members of the McGeoghegan family lost their lives.
Later, between 1654 and 1656, a record called the Civil Survey mentioned Donore Castle. It said that Garrat Lench owned 220 acres of land in 1640. On this land, there was a castle, an apple orchard, a fish trap in the river, and some small houses. An old drawing from 1785 shows the castle still being used. It had a special roof called a hip roof, which means all sides of the roof sloped downwards.
What Donore Castle Looks Like
Donore Castle has three floors. At its base, it measures about 7.3 meters by 6.3 meters. It stands about 12 m (39 ft) tall. The corners of the castle are rounded. There's also a round tower sticking out at one corner. Inside this tower is a newel stairway, which is a spiral staircase that winds around a central pole.
The ground floor of the castle has a strong vaulted roof, which is a curved ceiling made of stone. On the upper floors, you can find a garderobe, which was an old toilet built into the wall. There are also fireplaces to keep the rooms warm. The ceilings were supported by corbels, which are stone supports sticking out from the wall.
One of the castle's cool defenses is a murder hole. This is a small opening at the roof level, right above the main entrance door. Defenders could drop things through it onto attackers below. Above the doorway, you can also see carved stone heads of a king and a bishop.
