Heritage of County Cavan and the spectacular views of Clogh Oughter castle
- 4 years ago
Clogh Oughter Castle Prehistoric relict landscapes of Cavan Burren
Within the Cavan Burren Park there are more than 50 hut sites and over 10km of prehistoric walls. Incorporated within these
settlement features are over 150 boulder monuments - 100 having either Rock Art and/or Rock Sculptings.
The boulder monuments, rock art and sculptings are mostly incorporated in the walls and may be regarded as all more or less
contemporary with the settlement features. Based upon existing evidence these are probably contemporary with the Giant’s Leap
Wedge Tomb. The castle is located in the historic Kingdom of Breifne, specifically in the part that would later be subdivided into East Breifne, roughly corresponding to County Cavan. Prior to the construction of the castle, the spot may have been a crannóg. In the latter part of the 12th century, it was under the control of the O'Rourkes, but it seems to have come into the hands of the Anglo-Norman William Gorm de Lacy after the Normans wrest control of some of the territory from that ruling clan. While the exact date construction began is unknown, it is estimated to have started in the first quarter of the 13th century. Architectural elements date the lower two storeys of cloughoughter to this time. In 1233, the O'Reilly clan took possession of the area and completed the castle. They retained it for centuries in the midst of their ongoing conflicts with the O'Rourkes and with members of their own clan. It was there that Philip O'Reilly was imprisoned in the 1360s with "no allowance save a sheaf of oats for day and night and a cup of water, so that he was compelled to drink his own urine."
Possession of Cloughoughter was granted to servitor Hugh Culme during the Plantation of Ulster. Culme did not dwell in the castle, but built a new residence upon the nearby lake shore. In 1649 Owen Roe O'Neill, the commander of the Ulster Army died at the castle. For the remaining years of the rebellion, O'Reilly retained it as an island fortification, holding it a total of 12 years before it was besieged. Finally, The British Cromwellian forces had defeated the surrounding indigenous Irish armies, pushed the defenses back to the lake, recovered the lake-shore and proceeded to bombard the castle from positions in the townland of Innishconnell. When the castle finally fell and the indigenous Irish captured in March 1653, it was the last remaining rebel stronghold, fell to Cromwellian forces in March 1653, but not easily. Due to its island location, invading troops set up their cannons on a rise, at some considerable distance, in the townland of Innishconnell. The castle's walls were breached by cannon shot, remain to this day.
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Within the Cavan Burren Park there are more than 50 hut sites and over 10km of prehistoric walls. Incorporated within these
settlement features are over 150 boulder monuments - 100 having either Rock Art and/or Rock Sculptings.
The boulder monuments, rock art and sculptings are mostly incorporated in the walls and may be regarded as all more or less
contemporary with the settlement features. Based upon existing evidence these are probably contemporary with the Giant’s Leap
Wedge Tomb. The castle is located in the historic Kingdom of Breifne, specifically in the part that would later be subdivided into East Breifne, roughly corresponding to County Cavan. Prior to the construction of the castle, the spot may have been a crannóg. In the latter part of the 12th century, it was under the control of the O'Rourkes, but it seems to have come into the hands of the Anglo-Norman William Gorm de Lacy after the Normans wrest control of some of the territory from that ruling clan. While the exact date construction began is unknown, it is estimated to have started in the first quarter of the 13th century. Architectural elements date the lower two storeys of cloughoughter to this time. In 1233, the O'Reilly clan took possession of the area and completed the castle. They retained it for centuries in the midst of their ongoing conflicts with the O'Rourkes and with members of their own clan. It was there that Philip O'Reilly was imprisoned in the 1360s with "no allowance save a sheaf of oats for day and night and a cup of water, so that he was compelled to drink his own urine."
Possession of Cloughoughter was granted to servitor Hugh Culme during the Plantation of Ulster. Culme did not dwell in the castle, but built a new residence upon the nearby lake shore. In 1649 Owen Roe O'Neill, the commander of the Ulster Army died at the castle. For the remaining years of the rebellion, O'Reilly retained it as an island fortification, holding it a total of 12 years before it was besieged. Finally, The British Cromwellian forces had defeated the surrounding indigenous Irish armies, pushed the defenses back to the lake, recovered the lake-shore and proceeded to bombard the castle from positions in the townland of Innishconnell. When the castle finally fell and the indigenous Irish captured in March 1653, it was the last remaining rebel stronghold, fell to Cromwellian forces in March 1653, but not easily. Due to its island location, invading troops set up their cannons on a rise, at some considerable distance, in the townland of Innishconnell. The castle's walls were breached by cannon shot, remain to this day.
Like Love Ireland on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveirelandd/
Follow Love Ireland on twitter:
https://twitter.com/LoveIreland3