Carrickkildavnet Castle
| Carrickkildavnet Castle Irish: Caisleán Ghráinne | |
|
County Mayo | |
|---|---|
 Carrickkildavnet Castle | |
| Type: | Tower house |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | L 72109412 |
| Location: | 53°52’51"N, 9°56’45"W |
| Village: | Carrickkildavnet |
| History | |
| Built c. 1429 | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Heritage Ireland |
Carrickkildavnet Castle is a fortified tower house on Achill Island in County Mayo.[1]
The castle was once a stronghold of the notorious O'Malley clan, and among them of Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen. Today it is in state care and enrolled as a 'National Monument'.
The castle is variously known as 'Carrickkildavnet Castle', 'Kildavnet Castle', 'Kildavnet Tower', 'Grace O'Malley's Castle' or 'Kildownet Tower'.
History
Carrickkildavnet Castle stands in the south-east corner of Achill Island, across from the Corraun Peninsula. This is an important strategic site, protecting the mouth of Achill Sound and the passage that connects Clew Bay with Blacksod Bay.[2]
The castle was built c. 1429 by the Ó Máille (O'Malley), Kings of Umaill. It was later the stronghold of Gráinne Ní Mháille (Grace O'Malley, c. 1530 – c. 1603), the famed "pirate queen": her other strongholds were at Rockfleet Castle (on Clew Bay) and Clare Island, and she lived her married life, cut short by pike and musket, at Bunowen Castle in County Galway.
Building
The castle is a tower house of four storeys' height. It is vaulted above the first floor and a hole at the corner of this vault is the only access to the higher levels, presumably for defensive reasons. Other defensive features include a mural chamber, machicolation, arrowslits, buttress fortifications at the top and a ruined bawn wall.[3][4][5][6][7]
References
- ↑ Mullen, Michael: 'Mayo: The Waters and the Wild' Dundurn (2004) via Google Books
- ↑ Granuaile's Tower, Kildavnet, Achill Island - Achill Tourism
- ↑ "Kildavnet Castle, Achill Island • Destination Westport". http://www.destinationwestport.com/places-to-visit/achill-island/kildavnet-castle/.
- ↑ "Kildavnet Castle (2013) - Achill Archaeological Field School". https://achill-fieldschool.com/research-excavations/kildavnet-castle/.
- ↑ "Kildavnet Castle". http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/mayo/kildavnet/kildavnet.html.
- ↑ "Kildavnet Castle Stock Photos and Pictures - Getty Images". http://www.gettyimages.ie/photos/kildavnet-castle?sort=mostpopular&excludenudity=true&mediatype=photography&phrase=kildavnet%20castle.
- ↑ "Carrickkildavnet Castle & Church Co Mayo". http://irelandinruins.blogspot.ie/2016/01/carrickkildavnet-castle-church-co-mayo.html.