Dunlough Castle
Encyclopedia
Dunlough Castle, standing atop the cliffs at the northern tip of the Mizen Peninsula, looks at the Atlantic Ocean
from the extreme southwest point of the Irish mainland
. Founded in 1207 by Donagh O’Mahony, Dunlough is one of the oldest Norman
castle
s in southern Ireland and an interesting example of Norman architecture
and dry stone
masonry.
s, or keep
s, which stand almost invisibly upon the isthmus
connecting “Three Castles Head” with the mainland. The only route of access is from the south, and the castle appears suddenly as you cross through the hills onto the isthmus. The towers are connected by a wall spanning more than one hundred feet from the western cliffs to the shores of an apparently man-made lake. The wall is mostly fallen today; yet in places it stands approximately 15 feet (4.6 m). At the eastern shore of the lake, a wall from the same period serves as a dam, preventing the lake's water from pouring over the cliffs into Dunmanus Bay
several hundred feet below. Passage around the eastern shore of the lake is awkward; while the castle and wall block the western shore. Only a small footpath between the westernmost ruins and the 400 feet (121.9 m) cliffs allows travelers to visit the towers and the rocky cliffs beyond. As one writer has observed, "To an invading army, the cliff’s edge, the defensive wall, the lake and the sternly inaccessible approach would have made the castle appear impregnable." It is not known if Dunlough was ever attacked.
, occupying approximately the area from Cork City
west to Mizen Head
. Their regional prominence had been diminished greatly since the MacCarthy dynasty
had come south from Tipperary in the early 12th century, and faded even more rapidly as the Normans took hold of southern Ireland. Their primary Irish rivals (and allies) were the McCarthys and the O'Briens. But all these groups were militarily outclassed by the Normans who followed in the wake of King Henry II
's initial invasion.
In 1177, King Henry of England
granted “the kingdom of Cork” to the Cambro-Norman
knights Robert Fitz-Stephen
and Milo de Cogan. De Cogan received the lands of west Cork, and began a push toward the Atlantic which drove regional families from the holdings in central Cork. The O’Mahony clan, led by their chieftain Donagh “the Migrator,” settled at the furthest point, the tip of the Mizen peninsula.
Each keep is three stories high, typical of rectangular towers of its day. No turrets or parapets are present among the remaining structure. The eastern keep was probably the gate tower, though the gateway itself is today in ruins. The western tower is the largest, and was most likely the residence for most of the inhabitants. Typical of "sub-towers" found in larger Norman castles, the central keep provided additional lookout and storage, and served to reinforce the strength of the connecting wall.
Dunlough's interior design is in keeping with other early Irish castles. The presence of a spiral staircase in the eastern tower is offset by the linear staircases of the western tower, while the central tower encorporates both types of stairs. The spiral stairs of the eastern tower are today visible from the outside, due to the crumbling of the outer walls. The simple, rectangular towers of Dunlough foreshadowed the regional castles which were built in later years, many of which still stand. Plain and unornamental, these castles, many of them O'Mahony keeps, rise from the landscape along both shores of the Mizen peninsula.
A common characteristic of the O'Mahony castles, evident at Dunlough's western keep, is the second-storey door. Usually directly above or just to the side of the first-storey entrance, the second-storey door was probably accessed by means of a removable wooden ladder. Inside, the door leads either forward to the second storey (commonly wooden) or upward through the wall to third level. The third storey at Dunlough, as at other O'Mahony castles, is a stone floor which served as the banquet and gathering hall. This was a common feature of most Norman keeps from the early period.
Dunlough's deterioration is attributable in part to the dry stone masonry used in its construction. This method is unusual for castles in this area, which, built in later years, made more use of wet mortar and sand. Yet the use of dry stone masonry was common in earlier Irish buildings.
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
from the extreme southwest point of the Irish mainland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Founded in 1207 by Donagh O’Mahony, Dunlough is one of the oldest Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s in southern Ireland and an interesting example of Norman architecture
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
and dry stone
Dry stone
Dry stone is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their unique construction method, which is characterized by the presence of a load-bearing facade of carefully selected interlocking...
masonry.
Physical characteristics
Dunlough Castle is a series of three fortified towerTower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
s, or keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
s, which stand almost invisibly upon the isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
connecting “Three Castles Head” with the mainland. The only route of access is from the south, and the castle appears suddenly as you cross through the hills onto the isthmus. The towers are connected by a wall spanning more than one hundred feet from the western cliffs to the shores of an apparently man-made lake. The wall is mostly fallen today; yet in places it stands approximately 15 feet (4.6 m). At the eastern shore of the lake, a wall from the same period serves as a dam, preventing the lake's water from pouring over the cliffs into Dunmanus Bay
Dunmanus Bay
Dunmanus Bay is a bay in County Cork, Ireland. The bay lies between Mizen Head to the south and Bantry Bay to the north with the small village of Durrus at the head of the bay. The bay is out of the main tidal flow with no significant rivers flowing into it and is little frequented by vessels. On...
several hundred feet below. Passage around the eastern shore of the lake is awkward; while the castle and wall block the western shore. Only a small footpath between the westernmost ruins and the 400 feet (121.9 m) cliffs allows travelers to visit the towers and the rocky cliffs beyond. As one writer has observed, "To an invading army, the cliff’s edge, the defensive wall, the lake and the sternly inaccessible approach would have made the castle appear impregnable." It is not known if Dunlough was ever attacked.
History
At the time the first Norman soldiers and settlers arrived in Ireland in 1169, the O'Mahonys were the declining but still powerful princes of Eóganacht RaithlindEóganacht Raithlind
Eóganacht Raithlind or Uí Echach Muman are a branch of the Eóganachta, the ruling dynasty of Munster during the 5th-10th centuries. They took their name from Raithlinn or Raithleann described around the area of Bandon, in the same area...
, occupying approximately the area from Cork City
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
west to Mizen Head
Mizen Head
Mizen Head , is located at the extremity of a peninsula in the district of Carbery in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of the extreme points of the island of Ireland and is a major tourist attraction, noted for its dramatic cliff scenery...
. Their regional prominence had been diminished greatly since the MacCarthy dynasty
MacCarthy dynasty
The MacCarthy dynasty was one of Ireland's greatest medieval dynasties. It was and continues to be divided into several great branches. The MacCarthy Reagh, MacCarthy of Muskerry, and MacCarthy of Duhallow dynasties were the three most important of these, after the central or MacCarthy Mór...
had come south from Tipperary in the early 12th century, and faded even more rapidly as the Normans took hold of southern Ireland. Their primary Irish rivals (and allies) were the McCarthys and the O'Briens. But all these groups were militarily outclassed by the Normans who followed in the wake of King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
's initial invasion.
In 1177, King Henry of England
Henry of England
Henry of England was the fifth child and second son of Edward I of England by his first wife Eleanor of Castile....
granted “the kingdom of Cork” to the Cambro-Norman
Cambro-Norman
Cambro-Norman is a term used for Norman knights who settled in southern Wales after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Some historians suggest that the term is to be preferred to Anglo-Norman for the Normans who invaded Ireland after 1170 — many of whom originated in Wales. However, the term...
knights Robert Fitz-Stephen
Robert Fitz-Stephen
Robert Fitz-Stephen was a 12th century Cambro-Norman soldier, one of the leaders of the Norman invasion of Ireland, for which he was granted extensive lands in Ireland. He was a son of the famous Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, the last king of Deheubarth . His father was Nest's second husband,...
and Milo de Cogan. De Cogan received the lands of west Cork, and began a push toward the Atlantic which drove regional families from the holdings in central Cork. The O’Mahony clan, led by their chieftain Donagh “the Migrator,” settled at the furthest point, the tip of the Mizen peninsula.
Architecture
As an example of dry stone masonry, Dunough is unusual in that it features three towers with distinct designs, each rather smaller than the typical solitary towers of the region. Designed to fit its environment, the three keeps and the connecting wall would have been a daunting target for invading armies, though it is unknown if any ever attempted to take the castle.Each keep is three stories high, typical of rectangular towers of its day. No turrets or parapets are present among the remaining structure. The eastern keep was probably the gate tower, though the gateway itself is today in ruins. The western tower is the largest, and was most likely the residence for most of the inhabitants. Typical of "sub-towers" found in larger Norman castles, the central keep provided additional lookout and storage, and served to reinforce the strength of the connecting wall.
Dunlough's interior design is in keeping with other early Irish castles. The presence of a spiral staircase in the eastern tower is offset by the linear staircases of the western tower, while the central tower encorporates both types of stairs. The spiral stairs of the eastern tower are today visible from the outside, due to the crumbling of the outer walls. The simple, rectangular towers of Dunlough foreshadowed the regional castles which were built in later years, many of which still stand. Plain and unornamental, these castles, many of them O'Mahony keeps, rise from the landscape along both shores of the Mizen peninsula.
A common characteristic of the O'Mahony castles, evident at Dunlough's western keep, is the second-storey door. Usually directly above or just to the side of the first-storey entrance, the second-storey door was probably accessed by means of a removable wooden ladder. Inside, the door leads either forward to the second storey (commonly wooden) or upward through the wall to third level. The third storey at Dunlough, as at other O'Mahony castles, is a stone floor which served as the banquet and gathering hall. This was a common feature of most Norman keeps from the early period.
Dunlough's deterioration is attributable in part to the dry stone masonry used in its construction. This method is unusual for castles in this area, which, built in later years, made more use of wet mortar and sand. Yet the use of dry stone masonry was common in earlier Irish buildings.