O'Rourke's Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids O'Rourke's Castle |
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| General information | |
| Location | Leitrim Village, County Leitrim |
| Country | Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°59′28″N 8°03′52″W / 53.991038°N 8.064448°W |
| Construction started | late 15th century |
| Demolished | 1580 (Bawn wall remains) |
| Client | Brian Ballach O'Rourke MacRaghnall |
O'Rourke's Castle is an old ruined castle in Ireland. It is located in the middle of Leitrim Village. The castle is about 30 meters from the north bank of the Ballinamore and Ballyconnell canal. This canal joins the River Shannon about 400 meters away.
Contents
The Story of O'Rourke's Castle
Who Built O'Rourke's Castle?
This castle was likely a type of strong building called a tower house. It was first owned by the MacRaghnall family. Records show it belonged to them in 1491 and 1499. But by 1540, a powerful leader named Brian Ballach O'Rourke took control. He probably wanted to show his power over other local families. He also used the castle to bother his enemy, Mac Dermot of Moylurg.
Why Was the Castle Destroyed?
In 1580, the castle was destroyed by Brian of the Ramparts O'Rourke. He did this to stop it from falling into the hands of Sir Nicholas Malby. Sir Nicholas was an English official. Even though the castle was damaged, Sir Nicholas rebuilt it and put soldiers there. But O'Rourke quickly attacked the castle again. The soldiers left it soon after.
The Castle During Tough Times
In January 1603, a big battle called the Battle of Kinsale ended. After this defeat, a leader named Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare arrived at Leitrim Castle. He had started a long journey from Dunboy with about a thousand followers. But when he reached Leitrim Castle, only 35 people were left with him.
Brian Óg O'Rourke was the last Irish leader still fighting against the English. He was finally surrounded at Leitrim Castle. In April, Brian Óg escaped to a place called Rosa-Iarla Friary. This friary was near Lough Corrib. He sadly died there in January 1604.
What Remains of O'Rourke's Castle Today?
Today, you can still see a part of the old castle wall. It is made of stone and mortar. This section is about 13 meters long and 2.8 meters high. It is about 0.8 meters thick. There are two small openings in the wall. These might have been part of the castle's outer defensive wall, known as a bawn wall.
Archaeologists have looked at the area around the castle. They did not find many other related items. But the remaining wall helps us imagine what the castle looked like long ago.
