Irish Tower Houses, Irish Tower Houses, and Ferriters Castleand Ferriters Castle

(Castle Sybil) (Castle Sybil)

BackgroundBackground

The small castles that dot the Irish The small castles that dot the Irish landscape are more properly known as landscape are more properly known as Tower Houses. These are almost Tower Houses. These are almost exclusively an Irish creation, dating from exclusively an Irish creation, dating from eras of sustained turbulence, local eras of sustained turbulence, local warfare, and violence. Most were built warfare, and violence. Most were built between the early Norman era., c1250 between the early Norman era., c1250 and Early Elizabethan times, c1550. It is and Early Elizabethan times, c1550. It is estimated that approximately 3000 estimated that approximately 3000 existed at one time. existed at one time.

More BackgroundMore Background

Most of the principal Septs and Hiberno-Most of the principal Septs and Hiberno-Norman land holding families built and Norman land holding families built and maintained a strongold, and this castle maintained a strongold, and this castle was almost always in the form of a tower was almost always in the form of a tower house. In rural areas, the Castle of a house. In rural areas, the Castle of a landowner was in fact a fortified landowner was in fact a fortified farmhouse, surrounded by a masonry farmhouse, surrounded by a masonry wall or “bawn” within which he could wall or “bawn” within which he could shelter cattle, horses, sheep, or his shelter cattle, horses, sheep, or his tenants, if under attack.tenants, if under attack.

Attack on a Tower Attack on a Tower House, c1400House, c1400

Typical W.Ireland Tower Typical W.Ireland Tower HousesHouses

More W.Ireland Tower More W.Ireland Tower HousesHouses

Yet More! Note the Yet More! Note the SimilaritiesSimilarities

Desmond and Corca Desmond and Corca DhubhuineDhubhuine

The Barony of Corcaguiney (Corca The Barony of Corcaguiney (Corca Dhubhuine) comprises most of the Dhubhuine) comprises most of the Dingle Peninsula, and was a part of Dingle Peninsula, and was a part of Desmond, the Liberty granted the Desmond, the Liberty granted the Earl Of Desmond (FitzGerald) in the Earl Of Desmond (FitzGerald) in the early 1300s. There were perhaps 8 – early 1300s. There were perhaps 8 – 10 tower houses there, several of 10 tower houses there, several of which still stand, albeit in ruins. which still stand, albeit in ruins. Ferriter’s Castle is one of these.Ferriter’s Castle is one of these.

Gallerus and RahinaneGallerus and Rahinane

Two Castles closest to Ferriter’s Castle, (Castle Sybil) were both FitzGerald strongholds. Gallerus was built by a lesser son of one of the Knights of Kerry, and stands about 2 linear miles East of Dun Point. Rahinane was built by an early Knight of Kerry and is also perhaps 2 miles from Dun Point, in a straight line. This place was the principal home of the knight of Kerry for 300 years.

Caislain FheiritearaighCaislain FheiritearaighFerriter’s Fort, Ferriter’s Castle, or Castle Ferriter’s Fort, Ferriter’s Castle, or Castle

Sybil as it is variously called is of Sybil as it is variously called is of uncertain age. A safe assumption may be uncertain age. A safe assumption may be to date it coeval with the balance of to date it coeval with the balance of other tower houses, and with Rahinane, other tower houses, and with Rahinane, which would place the structure c. 1350 which would place the structure c. 1350 -1400. Ferriters had othe strongholds -1400. Ferriters had othe strongholds and forts, most notably on Great Blasket, and forts, most notably on Great Blasket, and by account near Dunurlin Church – and by account near Dunurlin Church – possibly the family’s principal residence.possibly the family’s principal residence.

Caislain Fheiritearaigh Caislain Fheiritearaigh c1820c1820

Ferriter’s Castle, Hall’s Ferriter’s Castle, Hall’s C1843C1843

• At least partly a fantasy – note At least partly a fantasy – note windowswindows

June 1845June 1845

• ““A tremendous western gale lately A tremendous western gale lately made sad havoc with the old made sad havoc with the old fortalice, and it is now a heap of fortalice, and it is now a heap of stones, and of mortar as firm and stones, and of mortar as firm and hard as stone. The people regret it hard as stone. The people regret it very much, and declare that its fall very much, and declare that its fall portends some direful calamity to portends some direful calamity to the neighbourhood."— the neighbourhood."— Letters from Letters from the Kingdom of Kerry, in the year the Kingdom of Kerry, in the year 18451845,, pp. 55-6.pp. 55-6.

Ferriter’s Castle 2009Ferriter’s Castle 2009

More of Ferriter’s in More of Ferriter’s in 20092009

A non-Historical A non-Historical ReconstructionReconstruction

What Is, c2009 Fantasy, c2009

Caslain Feiritear in 1953Caslain Feiritear in 1953

These photos were taken of a mass said at the Castle as part of the 300th Anniversary Commemoration of Piaras Feiritear’s death. (Courtesy Siobhan (Ferriter) Fahy, Ballyferriter)

““All of my life, I have carried the image All of my life, I have carried the image of that fragmentary ruin in my of that fragmentary ruin in my memory, an icon of familial faith - memory, an icon of familial faith - faith in the reality of the stories that faith in the reality of the stories that my father recounted, and faith in the my father recounted, and faith in the kernel of greatness that always kernel of greatness that always seemed nearby, somehow.” seemed nearby, somehow.”

G.Ferriter 2008G.Ferriter 2008

Caslain FheiritearaighCaslain Fheiritearaigh