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  • Home
  • Armoy
  • Ballintoy & Carrick-a-rede
  • Bonamargy
    • Bun-na-Margie by Ardrigh
    • Bonamargy Friary by Hugh Boyd
    • BUN-NA-MAIRGHIE FRIARY by H C Lawlor
    • BUNNAMAIRGE FRIARY by Robert McCahon
    • Interim Report
  • Dunineany Castle
    • Dunineany - UDC guide
    • Dunineany - Marshall
    • Dunaneeny - Ford
    • Dunananie - McCahon
    • Dunineany - Rev J O'Laverty
  • DUNSEVERICK
  • Giant's Causeway
    • Dublin Penny Journal Giant's Causeway
    • Das Pfennig Magazin
    • Saturday Magazine Feb 9th 1833
  • Giant's Causeway on Google books
  • HISTORIES
  • Leaflets & events
  • Local letters
  • Marconi and Ballycastle
  • Ould Lammas Fair
    • The Lammas Fair in Ballycastle by Louis J Walsh
    • Lammas Fair 1992
    • Lammas Fair - Matchett
    • Ould Lammas Fair by Margaret Bell
  • Rathlin
    • Some observations by English Naturalists (1897)
    • Rathlin in Saturday Magazine 1836
    • Rathlin from Anderson's Historical Sketches of the Ancient Native Irish
    • Bruce's Castle, Island of Raghery
    • The Widow's Wedding
  • Reasons for the harbour
  • Railway
  • Tourist Literature
   

DUNANEENY CASTLE

From “Sketches of Olden Days in Northern Ireland” by Rev. Canon Forde (1927)

Picture

This fortress stands on the summit of a bold promontory that rises to a great height above the sea. Dunaneeny means "the fort of the assembly or fair." The area on which the castle stood is a smooth level, measuring from east to west 60 yards, and from north to south 35 yards. It was surrounded by the sea on all sides except the south, where it was protected by a moat extending from east to west 80 yards, cut chiefly through the solid rock. The highest part of the wall now remaining is only 12 feet, and every vestige of the castle which stood within the fortified area has disappeared. Tradition says it was built by the O'Carrols, an old family who resided here many centuries ago. Later, the chieftains of the MacDonnells made this one of their principal strongholds, and from it they could watch their galleys gliding into Port Brittas almost at its base. The castle is notable for being the birthplace of the second Sorley Boy MacDonnell, who was born here in 1505. It was from here, at the head of his kerns and gallowglasses, he led them from victory to victory, till he became master of the whole of the Route. It was here, too, he died, and from here he was carried to his resting-place, the procession making its way through Ballycastle to the Abbey of Bun-na-mairgie, where they laid their gallant chief in a soldier's grave.
 

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