Old Roadmain Church Co Meath

 

                                                  Above Image: Entrance gate.

                                               Above Image: West gable window

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                                                   Above Image: The interior

                                               Above Image: East gable interior

                                              Above Image: East gable exterior.

There is some ambiguity regarding the origins of this little ruin. Roadmain was part of the townland parish of Cussingstown or Cushenstown as it is known today. The graveyard is called Crossmacole derived from Crossmacool. While the church itself does not appear on church listings there are a number of records to give some backround to determining its age.

On a civil survey made in 1656 there is no mention of a church in Roadmain or indeed Cushenstown. On the 1837 ordnance survey map the structure is described simply as "church" and as "church in ruins" on the 1888 version. But it appears that the church was indeed ruinous back as far as 1836 as a civil survey made then mentions it as so. That leaves the possible origin date as being after 1656 and before 1836. Strangely, this building does have a more medieval look about it so there is one more possibility and that is that this structure being comprised of a single cell was not a church but a chapel of ease. This chapel would have been a small local place of prayer for a community to which a church might be too far a distance to travel. If this was so, it may not have been included on church lists and it could in fact have existed long before 1656. The nearest churches to Roadmain would be the ruins at Piercetown, Kilmoon, Rathfeigh and Ardcath. You can check my previous visits to Rathfeigh (here) and Ardcath (here)..

The  Roadmain ruins lie in an old graveyard in which the original borders are basically defined by the older stones some of which I believe stretch back to the 1780's.The graveyard has been extended beyond these perimeters over many years. Access is easy by way of a pedestrian swing gate and the ruins are close by inside. The structure is unfortunately in a bad state of affairs. Ivy has encroached upon it and sections of it have collapsed especially around the North and South walls. The doorway appears to be in the South wall and there is a large window opening in the West wall. The East wall has a large gap which starts at ground level splitting the gable in two but it may originally have contained another window. The small interior floor is grass covered and contains a couple of gravestones. I've been inside some small church ruins before but this is certainly very small indeed. I can't imagine very many people fitting inside here so the idea of a chapel of ease at least in my mind begins to fit the bill. The ruins are basically featureless today but the interest lies in the origins of this little ruin and what function it served in the community back in its day.

To find the ruin take the N2 heading North from Ashbourne towards Slane. Drive for approx 6KM until you reach a right hand turn at Kilmoon Cross signposted for the R152 to Drogheda. Turn right onto this road and drive until you spot a small pub in Cushenstown on your right with the name P. Dowling. The graveyard is approx 250m past the pub on the right hand side. You can park at the roadside gate.

Roodstown Castle Co Louth

 

                                      Above Image: South face and roadside gate

                                      Above Image: On approach from North East.

                                        Above Image: Wall walk and access doors.

                                    Above Image: First storey window in South wall

Motorways have almost killed your chances of seeing some of the historical sites in Ireland. You really have to take the alternate routes and the back roads to find the hidden gems. Roodstown is certainly one of those. A fine example of a medieval tower house whose walls remain sturdy and upright even after 500+ years and unless you are a local and know it's there you would probably never otherwise come across it.

The castle and its location puts in mind the type of structure built in the £10 castle scheme by Henry VI in 1430 to defend he pale. This scheme lasted a decade and produced quite a few tower houses  It could very well be so in this case that it was part of this scheme but it is a bit taller than usual and a bit more elaborate in its design. Termonfeckin castle, also in County Louth (see earlier post here) is quite similar and it is certainly recorded as being part of the scheme.

Local history associates Roodstown castle with the Taafe's, a well established and influential family in the area. The castle is dated to the 15th century and is very strategically placed near the rivers Dee and Glyde. The evolution of its name derives from the area known in the 14th century as Rotheston eventually becoming  Roodstown in the 19th century. The castle is noted to have been burnt in 1596 during a particularly bad time of a plague epidemic that broke out and spread especially throughout The Pale. Having been burnt out it may have begun its road to ruin at that time. A fine art print from 1784 depicts it basically as it is stands today. 

We were disappointed to find the roadside gate locked as it probably has been since the pandemic started but I would imagine there is a keyholder nearby. So when things eventually settle down we will return and investigate that. The castle apart from the vaulted ground floor is basically now a shell. It stands four storeys high with a gated and locked doorway on the Eastern wall. There is a murder hole just above the entrance on the inside.The tower features squared turrets two of which are projecting and a tantalizing wall walk. There is apparently a spiral stair in the South Eastern turret which one would expect leads to the said wall walk. This in itself would be worth the return visit.

Even from its roadside view this is a very commanding structure sited at a junction in roads and worthy of your time to seek out if in the area.

To find the ruins take exit 14 of the M1 motorway onto the N33 signposted for Ardee. About 250m along take the first turn right onto the L2226 for Stabannon and continue for approx 700m to the first turn left at the pub "The Cross Bar". Turn left up this road and drive for approx 1.8KM and you will spot the ruins on your right hand side. We parked at the wall of a house a few metres further on the left without blocking any entrance. 

Old St. Margaret's Church Co Dublin

 

                                                Above Image: Roadside gate

                                             Above Image: Graveyard entrance

                         Above Image & Below Image: Chantry chapel and its entrance

                          Above Image & Below Image: Mausoleum attached to chapel

                            Above Image: Separate mausoleum at Southern boundary

                                                 Above Image: Mausoleum door

                                             Above Image: Within the mausoleum

                             

                                 Image Below: The East wall (with some rebuilding)

             Above Image & Below Image: The ivy covered remains of  North & West walls

                                                Above Image: Plan of the ruins

The remains of this medieval church lie in a walled enclosure in pastureland and are accessed by a roadside gate on the R122 at St. Margaret's, a small community in a pastoral location behind the runways of Dublin airport. A short lane winds from the road bypassing a work yard and a farm residence and leads to the pillared gates of the cemetery wall designed around the old ruins and opened in 1930. It took a few minutes to work out the layout of the ruins within but I think I finally figured them out.

What greets you initially are the walls of a chantry chapel built by Sir John Plunkett of Dunsoghly (1497-1582) who was Lord Chief Justice from 1559 until his demise in 1582. The chapel is attached to what was the South-Eastern side of the old church. Little remains now of the church itself bar a section of the East wall (which has had some later re-building) and partial remains of the South, West and North walls with the foundations of a tower at the Northwest corner. Sadly a lot of overgrowth is now present which almost disguises the presence of this section.

The church is thought to date from the 12th century and was built on the site of an earlier structure of which nothing remains today. It looks, judging by what foundations that are extant, to have been a sizeable structure. It would have served the local community along with its near neighbour Chapelmidway (see earlier post here) and is recorded to have fallen into ruin in the first half of the 17th century.

The graveyard is also the site of two large mausoleums. One is attached to the South-East corner of the chantry chapel and was built in the 19th century. It is distinctly seperate in design from the other adjacent ruins. A separate mausoleum stands isolated at the South of the graveyard opposite the chantry mausoleum. It was built in the 18th century for the Morgan family and is quite classical in design. It has an open doorway and it too like the chapel is roofless. 

The chantry chapel (a name given to a chapel funded by wealthy patrons) has all four walls standing to nearly full height and is the dominant feature in the graveyard. The entrance door is in the form of an archway with decorative stonework otherwise the exterior and interior are basically featureless.

The graveyard, a rather ancient looking site, is dotted with among others some Celtic cross markers, a table tomb and numerous guano covered indecipherable stones.It may still be in use as there is quite a lot of space left but I didn't spot any gravestones dated later than the 20th century. The grass is cut but there is some vegetation present on the mausoleums. Its close proximity to a farmyard yields the frequent honking of Geese but otherwise it is a very placid spot and is I believe due to be the subject of some conservation work in the near future.

To find the ruins take the junction 5 exit for Finglas from the M50 onto the N2. Once on the N2 drive approx 500m and take the exit left for Coldwinters. This leads to a T-junction where you turn right and drive 1.4KM to Kilshane Crossroads. Turn right here and drive to the next roundabout where you turn left onto the R122. Drive on for approx 1.2KM taking the second left hand turn signposted for the R122 to St Margaret's. At the T-junction at the bottom of this short road turn right and approx 30m along you will see a stone pillared metal gate on your left opposite a white bungalow and a farmyard to the right. You can park at the gate but be sure not to block the farmyard entrance.

Punchestown Longstone Co Kildare

                                           Above Image: Nearest access point

                              Above Image: The stone as seen from the track within the

                                                       racecourse grounds

County Kildare has a number of large standing stones and this is one of the tallest. Standing over 19 feet in height it is composed of granite and from its square base it tapers to up a wedge shape at its summit. It is positioned in a field that is now incorporated into the Punchestown racecourse.

The stone dates back to the Bronze Age which places it sometime between 500BC and 2000BC. These type of stones served several different purposes. Some were raised as waymarkers others for commemorations but this particular one is thought to mark an ancient burial site. This site was important enough to be referenced by Gerald of Wales in 1188 in his work "Topographia Hibernica" 

Prior to 1845 one of the Viscounts of Allen attempted to unearth the stone for transfer to his mansion gardens but a team of workers and horses only managed after extreme difficulty to leave it at a 60 degree angle and inevitably it succumbed to gravity falling completely over in 1931. It remained in a horizontal position until 1934 when it was finally re-erected upright. A discovery was also made of a stone lined burial cist beneath it confirming the stone's purpose. The cist however proved to be empty. 

When we visited it was a race day so we had no problem getting into the racecourse grounds. I'm not sure that there would be access at other times as the gate would be closed although the perimeter wall and fence are not high on the right hand side of the gate pillars.

The field in which the stone lies can be accessed from a narrow track that runs parallel to the main road outside and there are cows wandering around the field but we didn't spot any sign of a bull, so there was no problem getting up close to the stone. A small fence has been placed around the base probably as protection which slightly detracts from the overall view of the stone. There is also an OPW information sign. The longstone is slightly similar to it's sister stone "The Craddockstown West Stone" which stands in a farmer's crop field opposite the other Punchestown entry gate a short distance in a Westerly direction up the road. We visited this previously (see earlier post here).

Unlike the Craddockstown stone which leans at an angle this Longstone has been re-placed upright. Whether or not both were originally placed at a slight angle is still a bit of a mystery but nonetheless they are quite imposing features especially when you stand directly beneath them.

To find the Longstone take the R411 South from Naas until you reach a crossroads with the L2023 and a sign pointing towards Punchestown. Turn left here and drive for approx 800m past the first entrance to Punchestown racecourse on your right until you reach the second entrance. If the gate is open you can park inside, if not just park outside at the roadside. Once inside the gate walk straight on for approx 40m and you will see a track to your left. Follow the track and you will spot the stone in the field on your left. Just look for a gap in the hedge and you can access it over a low fence. I am not sure how private this land is but we saw no prohibitive signs on our visit. 

Blackhall Area Castle Co Kildare

 

                        
                                          Above Image: Field gate (at centre-left)

                                             Above Image: part of the South wall 

                              Above Image: Shrouded remains of South & West walls

                                    Above Image: Castle among farm out-buildings

We were heading across the backroads from Blessington to Naas when I thought I spotted something in the corner of my eye. It looked suspiciously like a ruin partly hidden by some abandoned farm outbuildings. We pulled over and walked back down the deserted road and found a field gate fixed solidly to the ground by vegetation but easy enough to climb over. We were conscious that this was probably somebody's land but there were no prohibitive signs and certainly nobody about so we ventured on to have a closer look. What we found was sadly a very decrepit ruin of what appeared to be a tower house and not one of great distinction by the look of it. Only two walls remained on its Southern and Western sides but the base of the West wall sloped out in what I believe they call a talus or batter. Certainly unusual for such a small and abandoned castle. It had been incorporated, as have many a rural ruin, into some farm buildings, sheds and such. The upper third or so of the tower is no longer extant and the ivy has encroached badly upon it leaving it an odd and spidery look. Truthfully I don't think that the remains are going to be visible for a lot longer as this type of overgrowth is apt to crumble whats left like a boa constrictor.

The wi-fi was not great at that spot but when I finally did get a chance to do some research a little later I discovered the site listed on an 1837 ordnance survey map as the ruins of Blackhall castle (not to be confused with the castle of the same name in Calverstown Co Kildare. See earlier post here) This castle was named after the townland in which it is located and from what I can gather it was associated with the Fitzgeralds who held land here back as far as the Norman invasion when Maurice Fitzgerald initially took possession in 1172. Blackhall castle was more than likely built as one of the £10 castles that dotted along the pale in order to defend it. This would put its age as possibly early 15th century and around the reign of Henry VI. The castle was badly damaged in 1642 by crown forces fighting the rebels (which included the Fitzgeralds) during the confederate war but it is thought to have been reconstructed to some degree a few years later and then inhabited by Anthony Sherlock around 1659. He also came from a Norman family who settled after the invasion and the area known as Sherlockstown not far from Naas is most likely named after his forebears The castle was replaced as a dwelling house in time by a mansion built around the early 1700's and one would imagine that Blackhall started on its road to ruin around then. 

It was a short visit and soon we were back on the road again, but it saddens me a little to see history slowly going to ground in such a way as Blackhall.

This one is only for die-hards to visit! To find the ruins follow this route. From the main street in Blessington opposite St. Joseph's Hall take the R410 signposted for Naas (halfway along this road at Glending there is a shortcut up a very narrow boreen which I would not recommend unless you have a decent off road vehicle. Believe me I found out the hard way) Instead follow the road R410 for approx 5KM until you reach a T-junction with the L2021 where the R410 continues to the left. Drive another 200m and then take the first left hand turn onto a narrow road. Follow this road for approx 2KM until you reach a fork in the road. Take the right hand road and continue for approx 300m until you reach a small crossroads just after a little bungalow. Turn right and drive for approx 600 m until you see the abandoned farm buildings on your left. The field gate is at this spot. It is advisable to park a few metres on up the road where it is a  little wider.

Swords Towers Co Dublin

                                                 Above Image: Entrance gate

                                                 Above Image: The round tower

                                       Above Image: The 14th century church tower

These ancient towers stand close to each other in the grounds of St. Columba's Anglican church in Swords, Co. Dublin. The present church is more recent having been built in the early 1800's.

A monastery was founded here in 560AD by St. Colmcille and it thrived initially but fell victim to many attacks over the centuries either by raiding Irish clans or subsequently by the Vikings. Nothing is extant here today of that monastery apart from the 9th or possibly 10th century round tower which would have been constructed as a refuge and safekeeping place against marauders. It stands over 80 feet high and about 16 feet in diameter. The original doorway is now almost at ground level but would have been a few metres higher when it was constructed.The last few metres at the top just below the cone were reconstructed at a much later time and a cross was placed on top.

The square tower standing beside the round tower is the belfry tower from the 14th century church that once stood here. The church nave and chancel fell into ruin long ago most likely after the suppression of the mid 16th century and the remains were still visible until the building of the new church took place in the early 19th century. They were subsequently demolished leaving only the bell tower. A clock was also later added to the East face of the belfry.

Both towers today stand imposingly side by side among the trees and they are somewhat awkward to get a good photograph of together in the one shot, especially when the sun is higher causing them to  silhouette against the sky. But a little time and patience wins out in the end.

Access to the grounds is simple enough with a pedestrian gate to the left of the main entrance gates that is unlocked whether the main gates are locked or not. Unfortunately the interiors to the towers at the moment remain closed.

To find the towers take the junction 3 exit off the M1 motorway and at the top of the exit ramp take the first exit left onto the R125 signposted for Swords. Continue along this road going straight through the next two roundabouts and again on the third joining the R836 for Swords. Continue into the town until you see the Lord Mayor pub on your left. Take the next left turn onto Church Road and follow it up until you see the Anglican church grounds on your left hand side. Parking on this road is reserved but if you follow the narrow road down to its end you will find parking there.

©  G Hill 2021

Minard Castle Co Kerry

 

                                                 Above Image: Entrance point

                                        Above Image: Part of a mural passageway

                                 Above Image & Below Image: Photos taken in 1991

Minard castle is certainly one of the most scenically placed fortresses in Ireland. It stands on a high promontory overlooking Kilmurry bay with the stunning acres point to its east and the distant Iveragh peninsula to the South.

The castle is believed to have been built by the Fitzgerald's in the 15th century It is thought that it originally stood three or possibly four storeys high but tragically in 1650 during the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland and while it was garrisoned by Walter Hussey of Dingle, it fell siege to the cannons of English Colonels Sadler and Lehunt. Hussey's men held firm despite the few weapons available to them but the cannons could not bring down the castle. Finally a huge amount of explosives were ignited below the walls and seriously damaged Minard killing all within. The very unstable look of the base of the ruins today attests to this assault. The remains though have stood the test of time, weather beaten by the Atlantic storms from the Southwest that batter the storm bay below. 

A barely visible track leads up the raised ground from the location of the information notice just off the approach road. About halfway up a small wire fence holds a rudimentary notice warning of the unstable ruins but is easily stepped over. Care of course should be given but I think the danger of slipping on wet grass is a more likely endangerment here.

The entrance is on what remains of the West face which overlooks the bay and a short passage brings you to the interior. Not much is left but it is interesting to see the layout of former floors and parts of some mural corridors that the castle one sported. They certainly blew this place to smithereens.

Incidentally, the castle made a brief appearance in the 1970 David Lean film "Ryan's Daughter" where Rosie has her first meeting with Major Doryan.

It really surprises me that these ruins have remained extant for so long given the location. Some of the more recent and damaging storms have destroyed ruins much further inland, for example, Coolbanagher Castle in Co. Laois which suffered great damage in 2014 so much so that the council demolished the remaining ruins as they were deemed too unsafe. 

Minard is a testament to its builders and I hope it remains a sentinel over the bay for many years to come. 

To find the ruins take the N86 heading West from Annascaul toward Annalack and about 500m out of Annascaul take the left hand turn signposted for the R561 to Castlemaine..Drive for 400m then take a right hand turn onto a narrow road and continue for approx 4KM. You will clearly see the ruins on your left upon approach. There is a small car parking area at Minard beach about 100m before the castle.