Castle Donovan
Encyclopedia
Castle Donovan or Castledonovan or O'Donovan's Castle refer to the remains of an Irish tower house
or túrtheach, in a valley near Drimoleague
, of medium size which was the so-called "seat" of the Clann Cathail sept of the O'Donovan
s for a period during the 16th century. The original name of the castle, and when the O'Donovans were actually living in it, was Sowagh (or Sooagh, Suagh) before the 17th century. The name of Castle Donovan, after the Manor of the Castle of O'Donovan, is associated with a regrant
from James II of England
in 1615. Approximately 60 feet in height, it sits on an enormous rock or outcropping, which forms the ground floor, close to the bank of the River Ilen
. It is commonly believed to have been built, or at the very least augmented, by Donal of the Hides
, Lord of Clancahill from about 1560 to his death 1584. His son Donal II O'Donovan
then repaired or further altered the structure some decades later, but was not living in it by then. It is believed that his father had already relocated the family in the first decade of that century to the more profitable Rahine Manor on the seacoast to protect their maritime interests.
According to tradition the tower was severely damaged by Oliver Cromwell
's soldiers in the late 1640s, blown up with powder in retaliation for Donal III O'Donovan
joining the Stuart
side and for his involvement in the rebellion and massacres of 1641, and has been uninhabited since that time.
The tower's surrounding wall or bawn
and outbuildings are long gone, but over two thirds of the tower still remain. The explosion left only a small gouge in the southwest corner, but caused huge cracks in the masonry, leaving the structure unsafe, and over two centuries later the entire western wall, excluding the still intact spiral staircase, and majority of the southern wall collapsed. It is currently undergoing conservation.
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Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
or túrtheach, in a valley near Drimoleague
Drimoleague
Drimoleague is a village on the R586 regional road at its junction with the R593 in County Cork, Ireland. It lies roughly halfway between the towns of Dunmanway and Bantry...
, of medium size which was the so-called "seat" of the Clann Cathail sept of the O'Donovan
O'Donovan
O'Donovan or Donovan is an Irish surname, as well as a hereditary Gaelic title. It is also written Dhonnabháin in certain grammatical contexts, and Donndubháin, being originally composed of the elements donn, meaning lord or dark brown, dubh, meaning dark or black, and the diminutive suffix án...
s for a period during the 16th century. The original name of the castle, and when the O'Donovans were actually living in it, was Sowagh (or Sooagh, Suagh) before the 17th century. The name of Castle Donovan, after the Manor of the Castle of O'Donovan, is associated with a regrant
Surrender and regrant
During the Tudor conquest of Ireland , "surrender and regrant" was the legal mechanism by which Irish clans were to be converted from a power structure rooted in clan and kin loyalties, to a late-feudal system under the English legal system...
from James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
in 1615. Approximately 60 feet in height, it sits on an enormous rock or outcropping, which forms the ground floor, close to the bank of the River Ilen
River Ilen
The River Ilen is a river in West Cork, Ireland. It rises at Mullaghmesha mountain and flows southwards for 34 kilometres into the Celtic Sea....
. It is commonly believed to have been built, or at the very least augmented, by Donal of the Hides
Donal of the Hides
Donal of the Skins or Hides , also called Peltry O'Donovan or simply Donal I O'Donovan , was The O'Donovan Mor, Lord of Clancahill from his inauguration with the White Wand circa 1560 by the MacCarthy Reagh, Prince of Carbery, to his death in 1584...
, Lord of Clancahill from about 1560 to his death 1584. His son Donal II O'Donovan
Donal II O'Donovan
Donal II O'Donovan , The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail, Lord of Clancahill , was the son of Ellen O'Leary, daughter of O'Leary of Carrignacurra, and Donal of the Skins, The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail....
then repaired or further altered the structure some decades later, but was not living in it by then. It is believed that his father had already relocated the family in the first decade of that century to the more profitable Rahine Manor on the seacoast to protect their maritime interests.
According to tradition the tower was severely damaged by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's soldiers in the late 1640s, blown up with powder in retaliation for Donal III O'Donovan
Donal III O'Donovan
Donal III O'Donovan , The O'Donovan of Clancahill, born before 1584, was the son of Helena de Barry and Donal II O'Donovan, The O'Donovan of Clancahill...
joining the Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
side and for his involvement in the rebellion and massacres of 1641, and has been uninhabited since that time.
The tower's surrounding wall or bawn
Bawn
A bawn is the defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house. It is the anglicised version of the Irish word badhún meaning "cattle-stronghold" or "cattle-enclosure". The Irish word for "cow" is bó and its plural is ba...
and outbuildings are long gone, but over two thirds of the tower still remain. The explosion left only a small gouge in the southwest corner, but caused huge cracks in the masonry, leaving the structure unsafe, and over two centuries later the entire western wall, excluding the still intact spiral staircase, and majority of the southern wall collapsed. It is currently undergoing conservation.
Location
In 1834, Philip Dixon Hardy published an account of his 1828 journey to the "vale of Castle Donovan", including a drawing in which several of the outbuildings can still be seen, in the Dublin Penny JournalDublin Penny Journal
The Dublin Penny Journal was a weekly newspaper, and later series of published volumes, originating from Dublin, Ireland, between 1832 and 1836. Published each Saturday, by J. S...
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