O'Rourke's Castle (historically also Breifny Castle) is a ruined castle in

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 ...

. It was situated in the centre of Leitrim Village c. 30m from the N bank of the Ballinamore and Ballyconnell canal, which at this point is a canalised stream, and c. 400m from its junction with the River Shannon.

History

The castle, undoubtedly a tower house, was originally a MacRaghnall stronghold with references in 1491 and 1499, but by 1540 it was in the hands of Brian Ballach O'Rourke (AFM), probably to intimidate the MacRaghnall and other families of

Muintir Eolais The Muintir Eolais of Conmaicne Réin, were nobles of Gaelic Ireland. For seven hundred years from the 8th century, they lived and ruled an area roughly conterminous to present-day south County Leitrim. Their territory comprised the lands name ...

and to harass his enemy of the moment, Mac Dermot of Moylurg. The castle was destroyed in 1580 by Brian of the Ramparts O'Rourke to prevent it falling to Sir Nicholas Malby. Sir Nicholas rebuilt and garrisoned it, but the castle was immediately besieged by O'Rourke and abandoned by its garrison shortly afterwards (AFM). In January 1603, after the defeat of

Kinsale Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a population of 5,281 (a ...

Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare, Prince of Beare, 1st Count of Berehaven ( ga, Domhnall Cam Ó Súileabháin Bhéara) (1561–1618), was an Irish nobleman and soldier who was the last independent Chief of the Name of the O'Sullivan clan. He was thus ...

arrived at Leitrim Castle with only thirty five from the thousand or so followers with whom he had started the long march from Dunboy,

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...

. Brian Óg O'Rourke, who was the last leader to remain in rebellion, was finally besieged at Leitrim Castle. In April Brian Óg fled to Rosa-Iarla Friary near Lough Corrib, where he died in January 1604.

Modern day

A length of mortared uncoursed limestone masonry (L 13m; H 2.8m; T 0.8m) survives with two small openings (dims 0.3m x 0.25m) which may be part of the bawn wall. Archaeological testing (04E0160) of an extensive area just to the NE produced no related material (Read 2007). (McParlan 1802, 103-4; Lewis vol. 1, 837, vol. 2, 256; O'Flanagan 1929, 105-6; Herity 2012, 402Herity, M. (ed.) 2012 Ordnance Survey Letters: Londonderry, Fermanagh, Armagh-Monaghan, Louth, Cavan-Leitrim. Dublin, Fourmasters Press)

References

{{reflist Castles in County Leitrim Castles in the Republic of Ireland