Monkstown, County Cork
Encyclopedia
'Monkstown is a village in County Cork
, Ireland
, in the old barony of Kerrycurrihy. It lies 9 miles southeast of Cork
city on the estuary of the River Lee
, facing Great Island
and looking onto Monkstown Bay.
The name of the village is said to derive from an early monastic site near to where Monkstown Castle now stands. Although no archaeological evidence has been found for the monastery, evidence has been found for early communal agricultural work in the area. A very early cemetery also exists near to the castle. Over time the name Baile an Mhanaigh/Monkstown overtook the old name Baile an Fealach (Foley's homestead), although the latter name persists in the name of a townland of the village: Ballyfouloo.
The castle, for which the town is famed, is in fact not a castle at all but a fortified tower house
. It was constructed around 1636 by Anastasia ArchDeacon (née Gould) as a surprise gift for her husband, who was fighting with the Spanish Catholics in the continental wars of the time. As implausible legend has it, when John ArchDeacon's ship entered Monkstown bay, a cannon ball was fired at the castle which was believed to house enemies. Anastasia ArchDeacon hired workers to come to Monkstown to build the castle. She housed the workers in accommodation built specially for them. She also provided them with food and clothing, but for a price. Once the workers had paid their rent and settled up their bills with her, it is said that the overall cost of the castle worked out at about four pence. The ArchDeacons are buried close by in the now overgrown graveyard.
The above is not to be confused with Monkstown Castle, Dublin although Michael Boyle
, Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of Armagh
, did own both.
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, in the old barony of Kerrycurrihy. It lies 9 miles southeast of Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
city on the estuary of the River Lee
River Lee (Ireland)
The Lee is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork City, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is built, and empties into the Celtic Sea at Cork Harbour on the...
, facing Great Island
Great Island
Great Island is the name of an island in Cork Harbour, just outside Cork city, at the mouth of the River Lee. The town of Cóbh is situated on the island, which is connected by bridge to Fota Island to the north, which in turn is connected by a causeway to the mainland...
and looking onto Monkstown Bay.
The name of the village is said to derive from an early monastic site near to where Monkstown Castle now stands. Although no archaeological evidence has been found for the monastery, evidence has been found for early communal agricultural work in the area. A very early cemetery also exists near to the castle. Over time the name Baile an Mhanaigh/Monkstown overtook the old name Baile an Fealach (Foley's homestead), although the latter name persists in the name of a townland of the village: Ballyfouloo.
The castle, for which the town is famed, is in fact not a castle at all but a fortified tower house
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...
. It was constructed around 1636 by Anastasia ArchDeacon (née Gould) as a surprise gift for her husband, who was fighting with the Spanish Catholics in the continental wars of the time. As implausible legend has it, when John ArchDeacon's ship entered Monkstown bay, a cannon ball was fired at the castle which was believed to house enemies. Anastasia ArchDeacon hired workers to come to Monkstown to build the castle. She housed the workers in accommodation built specially for them. She also provided them with food and clothing, but for a price. Once the workers had paid their rent and settled up their bills with her, it is said that the overall cost of the castle worked out at about four pence. The ArchDeacons are buried close by in the now overgrown graveyard.
The above is not to be confused with Monkstown Castle, Dublin although Michael Boyle
Michael Boyle (the younger)
Michael Boyle, the younger , archbishop of Armagh, eldest son of Richard Boyle, Archbishop of Tuam, and nephew of the elder Michael, was born about 1609....
, Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
, did own both.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Monkstown golf clubMonkstown golf clubMonkstown Golf Club is a 18-hole, par 70 golf course located in Parkgarriff, Monkstown, Co. Cork.It was founded in 1908 as a 9-hole course. The course was expanded in 1971 to an 18-hole course....
External links
- http://www.passagewestmonkstown.ie
- http://www.monkstown.org (has pictures of Monkstown castle)