Leighlinbridge Castle, also called Black Castle, is in the village of

Leighlinbridge Leighlinbridge (; ) is a small town on the River Barrow in County Carlow, Ireland. The N9 National primary route once passed through the village, which was by-passed in the 1980s. It now lies on the R705 regional road. It covers the town ...

, County Carlow,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, on the

River Barrow The Barrow ( ga, An Bhearú) is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest of the three rivers, and at 192 km (120 mi), the second-longest ri ...

. The early castle was built c.1181 for the Normans. In the 1540s a Carmelite friary was converted into a new fort by

Edward Bellingham Sir Edward Bellingham (1506–1549) was an English soldier and lord deputy of Ireland. Life He was a son of Edward Bellingham of Erringham, Sussex, his mother being Jane Shelley of the Shelley family. After his father's death in 1511, he and h ...

. The remains of the castle are now dilapidated - a broken castle tower and parts of one side of an enclosing wall are still extant.

History

The Norman castle, was founded c.1181 by John de Clahull (or Claville) under the auspices of

Hugh de Lacy Hugh de Lacy may refer to: * Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Lassy (c.1020–1085), first recorded member of the Norman noble family de Lacy * Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath (died 1186), 4th Baron Lacy * Hugh de Lacy, Abbot of Shrewsbury (died c. 1215/18) *Hug ...

. The original construct, together with the nine-arched bridge over the

formed the main landmarks of the town; and the construction of the castle, in itself creating a place of importance has been credited as a key cause in the development of the town of Leighlin-Bridge. In the early 1270s the Carmelites first came to Ireland, and established their first friary in Leighlinbridge, on a site near the castle. The bridge across the river was built c.1320. Another castle, the 'White Castle' was built nearby, c.1408, by

Gerald FitzGerald, 5th Earl of Kildare Gerald FitzMaurice FitzGerald, 5th Earl of Kildare (d. before 24 June 1428) was an Irish peer. Gerald was the son of Maurice FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare and Elizabeth Burghersh. Career Gerald served as Justiciar of Ireland in 1405. In 1407 ...

. By 1840 there were no remains of this castle, and its location had been lost. In 1543 the friary was suppressed, and in 1546

converted the friary into a fort with a surrounding wall - the fort became a military center for all of

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...

. Bellingham also established a stables at the castle, of around two dozen horses. In 1577

Rory Oge O'More Rory O'More, also known as Rory Oge O'More ( ga, Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha) (died 1578), was the Irish lord of what became Laois. Family background Rory O'More was the second son of Ruairí Ó Mórdha, Captain of Leix, and Margaret, daughter of ...

Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medi ...

is said to have captured the castle (then under the command of George Carew) and destroyed part the town; according to John Ryan in ''The History and Antiquities of the County of Carlow'' (1833) the castle was not captured and though the skirmish between assailants and defenders came to the gates of the castle it was repelled. During the 1590s O'Neill rebellion (see Nine Years' War ) the castle was repaired and re-garrisoned for the crown. In 1604 the castle was granted as

socage Socage () was one of the feudal duties and land tenure forms in the English feudal system. It eventually evolved into the freehold tenure called "free and common socage", which did not involve feudal duties. Farmers held land in exchange for cle ...

by the king to George Tuchet, Lord Awdeley. During the Irish Rebellion of 1641 the castle was initially garrisoned by the Catholic confederation, and in 1647 and 1649 was used as a rallying point by the Maquis of Ormond. In 1649 the castle was captured by Col. Hewson for the forces of

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...

Description

In the 1840s the remains of the castle itself consisted of a four sided enclosure wall , approximately thick and enclosed on three sides by a ditch (or moat), and on the fourth by the river. The 15th C. keep was situated at the northwestern corner, rectangular in form and nearly tall. By the 1840s the structure was derelict, with only one outer wall remaining, and a single floor of the keep, supported by an arch still standing; there was also the remains of a round tower in the southwest corner - the remains rose to with walls thick. A more modern analysis of the ''Black Castle'' classifies it as a three-story limestone tower house, with the lowest story vaulted, with the roof enclosed by walls with mural passageways. Both the tower and the surrounding rectangular bawn have artillery openings, and are architecturally indicative of a 16th-century building.

References

External links

{{commonscatinline Castles in County Carlow Ruins in the Republic of Ireland National Monuments in County Carlow