Carrickkildavnet Castle

Carrickkildavnet Castle
Native name Irish: Caisleán Ghráinne
Kildavnet Castle/Tower Grace O'Malley's Castle Kildownet Tower
Type	tower house
Location	Carrickkildavnet, Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland
Coordinates	53°52′51″N 9°56′45″W / 53.880875°N 9.945935°W / 53.880875; -9.945935Coordinates: 53°52′51″N 9°56′45″W / 53.880875°N 9.945935°W / 53.880875; -9.945935
Height	12 m (39 ft)
Built	c. 1429
Owner	State
National Monument of Ireland
Official name: Carrickkildavnet Castle
Reference no.	458
Location of Carrickkildavnet Castle in Ireland

Carrickkildavnet Castle is a tower house and National Monument located in Achill Island, Ireland.^[1][2]

Location

Carrickkildavnet Castle is located in the southeast corner of Achill Island, across from the Corraun Peninsula. This is an important strategic site, protecting the mouth of Achill Sound and the passage that connects Clew Bay with Blacksod Bay.^[3]

History

The castle with Achill Sound and Corraun Hill beyond.

Carrickkildavnet castle was built c. 1429 by the Ó Máille (O'Malley), Kings of Umaill. It was later the stronghold of Gráinne Ní Mháille (Grace O'Malley, c. 1530 – c. 1603), the famous "pirate queen." Her other strongholds were at Rockfleet Castle (on Clew Bay) and Clare Island.

Building

Another view of the tower house

It is a tower house of four storeys' height. It is vaulted above the first floor and a hole at the corner of this vault is the only access to the higher levels, presumably for defensive reasons. Other defensive features include a mural chamber, machicolation, defensive loops, buttress fortifications at the top and a ruined bawn wall.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

References