Tony Mulraney
Dunlunce Castle
The ruins of Dunluce Castle, on the North Antrim Coast, stand on a 100ft high basalt stack with a sea cave underneath. The cave is accessible both by land and sea as it runs underneath the castle. The ruins as seen today are breathtaking; even roofless the remains portray the air of strength this site once commanded and before the advent of gunpowder it would have been almost impossible to conquer.
The conjectural source of the name Dunluce derives from dun-lois, a combination of dun, 'fort', used adjectively and lois, the word normally translated as 'ring-fort'. Perhaps the best rendering would be 'fortified residence'. This castle crowned crag is surrounded by terrifyingly steep drops either side, which would have been a very important factor to the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to this romantic place where an early Irish fort once stood.
The first stone castle was built here in the 13th Century by Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster. The earliest features of the castle are two large drum towers about 9 metres in diameter on the eastern side, both relics of a stronghold built here by the McQuillans after they became lords of the district in the late fourteenth century.
The castle often came under siege and in 1584 Sorley Boy MacDonnell(1505-1589) captured it when one of his men, employed in the castle, hauled his comrades up the cliff in a basket. Sorley Boy came into some booty (some of which can be seen in the Ulster Museum in Belfast) in 1588 when the Spanish Armada treasure ship Girona was wrecked by a storm off the Giant's Causeway, further along the coast. The money was used to modernise the castle but in 1639, during a dinner, the kitchen fell into the sea and carried away the cooks and all their pots. After this it was abandoned by the MacDonnell clan.
The castle as seen today dates largely from the 16th and 17th centuries' periods of construction by the MacDonnells, however the outer walls with round towers are attributed to the earlier work by the MacQuillans. The Castle can only be reached over a bridge which now replaces the original rocky connection. The bridge leads to the "New" Scottish style gatehouse built after the original was destroyed by cannon in 1584 by the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir John Perrot. The two openings in the old gatehouse wall were for housing cannons that Sorely Boy MacDonnell salvaged from the wrecked Girona.
Dunluce castle includes a Manor House built in the 1630s. This had a Great Hall with two fireplaces and three bow windows. The ill-fated Kitchen Court complex also contained a workshop on the ground floor with accommodation above. In the north east Tower, one of the two defensive Towers in the outer wall, lies the entrance to a concealed tunnel offering escape to the beach.
On the "Mainland" area of the Castle complex can be found the remains of the earl's garden laid out in three terraces, documented evidence stated that these gardens included a bowling green. This area also included the Lodgings for the many visitors who graced the Castle in the 17th century. Also in this area can be found the stables with the remains of a corn drying kiln in one.
Source UK Heritage
Dunlunce Castle
The ruins of Dunluce Castle, on the North Antrim Coast, stand on a 100ft high basalt stack with a sea cave underneath. The cave is accessible both by land and sea as it runs underneath the castle. The ruins as seen today are breathtaking; even roofless the remains portray the air of strength this site once commanded and before the advent of gunpowder it would have been almost impossible to conquer.
The conjectural source of the name Dunluce derives from dun-lois, a combination of dun, 'fort', used adjectively and lois, the word normally translated as 'ring-fort'. Perhaps the best rendering would be 'fortified residence'. This castle crowned crag is surrounded by terrifyingly steep drops either side, which would have been a very important factor to the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to this romantic place where an early Irish fort once stood.
The first stone castle was built here in the 13th Century by Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster. The earliest features of the castle are two large drum towers about 9 metres in diameter on the eastern side, both relics of a stronghold built here by the McQuillans after they became lords of the district in the late fourteenth century.
The castle often came under siege and in 1584 Sorley Boy MacDonnell(1505-1589) captured it when one of his men, employed in the castle, hauled his comrades up the cliff in a basket. Sorley Boy came into some booty (some of which can be seen in the Ulster Museum in Belfast) in 1588 when the Spanish Armada treasure ship Girona was wrecked by a storm off the Giant's Causeway, further along the coast. The money was used to modernise the castle but in 1639, during a dinner, the kitchen fell into the sea and carried away the cooks and all their pots. After this it was abandoned by the MacDonnell clan.
The castle as seen today dates largely from the 16th and 17th centuries' periods of construction by the MacDonnells, however the outer walls with round towers are attributed to the earlier work by the MacQuillans. The Castle can only be reached over a bridge which now replaces the original rocky connection. The bridge leads to the "New" Scottish style gatehouse built after the original was destroyed by cannon in 1584 by the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir John Perrot. The two openings in the old gatehouse wall were for housing cannons that Sorely Boy MacDonnell salvaged from the wrecked Girona.
Dunluce castle includes a Manor House built in the 1630s. This had a Great Hall with two fireplaces and three bow windows. The ill-fated Kitchen Court complex also contained a workshop on the ground floor with accommodation above. In the north east Tower, one of the two defensive Towers in the outer wall, lies the entrance to a concealed tunnel offering escape to the beach.
On the "Mainland" area of the Castle complex can be found the remains of the earl's garden laid out in three terraces, documented evidence stated that these gardens included a bowling green. This area also included the Lodgings for the many visitors who graced the Castle in the 17th century. Also in this area can be found the stables with the remains of a corn drying kiln in one.
Source UK Heritage