Rewind – Drimnagh Castle, jewel in Dublin 12’s crown
By Sean Heffernan
EVERYDAY thousands (if not tens of thousands) of vehicles travel up and down the Long Mile Road, some going as far as Cork and Kerry.
As those drivers mentally prepare themselves for the challenge that is the Naas Road, little do they know what lies over the wall to their left.
Drimnagh Castle on the Long Mile Road
For it is here, around the back of the primary and secondary schools that share its name, that you’ll find the jewel in Dublin 12’s Crown – Drimnagh Castle.
Drimnagh derives its name from the word druimneach, or country with ridges.
A bowl that was found in the area, that is now on display in the National Museum on Kildare Street, dated from Neolithic times, so we know people had settled there as long ago as then.
In 1215 lands in the area were granted by the infamous ‘Strongbow’ to a Norman Knight Hugo de Bernivale, and he settled down by the ‘Crooked Glen’, which as I wrote in more detail last week, is where Crumlin derives its name.
He and his relatives had originally settled at Berehaven in Cork on their arrival in Ireland, but his investiture saw him move to the East Coast.
As well as assisting Strongbow in his battles here, some family members also took part in the Crusades in The Holy Lands, which battled for religious superiority against the mighty Mohammedan ruler Salah ad-Din.
Hugo’s landholding actually stretched as far as the area we now know as Terenure.
It was essentially one vast forest that contained many types of animals, including deer and wolves, and fish in the Camac River.
A relation named Wolfran, is listed as being a constable at Dublin Castle, and Sherriff of County Dublin – a most desirable and highly sought after position if ever there was one!
Drimnagh Castle 1820
After his death, a Mr Bathe, who was the Chief Baron of the lands of Ireland (in essence Finance Minister), married his widow, and took control of the large dwelling and all the vast acreage.
At a later unspecified date, he handed it all over to his stepson Edward.
By 1606, an Adam Loftus was in residence at the castle.
He was Nephew of a man with the same name, who was one of the most powerful people in Ireland at the time, in his role of Archbishop of Dublin.
As written about in a previous column, Uncle Adam was the builder of Rathfarnham Castle.
During the Cromwellian period a Philip Ferneley is recorded as being the owner, which he was likely granted as thanks for helping Old Ironside in his battles across the country against various Gaelic Chieftains.
Like so many castles and big houses across the country, people have sworn that they saw a ghost roam the rooms of this Lansdowne Valley property.
It is said that this ghostly sight is one Elanor Barnwell (the surname had by then been anglicised from the original De Bernivale),who was thrust into an arranged engagement, which was set to lead to marriage to her cousin Edmund.
But alas Lady Elanor had by chance met, and fell madly in love with Seán O’ Byrne, one of the family of the infamous Gaelic clan O’Byrne who resided among the Wicklow Hills.
As she travelled in the wedding carriage with her assumed husband-to-be, it was attacked en-route to St Patrick’s Cathedral by Seán and a group of his family and relations.
In the ensuing melee, Edmund was killed, as was O’Byrne and all of his mob, with the sizable troop of soldiers that accompanied the wedding procession killing each and every attacker.
Elanor was initially kept in a locked room, and forbidden to leave it, but a few days later an absent minded servant left the door open, and she seized her chance and fled.
Making her way through the streets of Dublin with haste, she eventually found her way up the mountains to the freshly dug grave of her one true love, and died sometime later from cold and hunger at that very spot.
In 1780 the records show the castle now belonging to a Mr. Reilly, and it was he who removed the drawbridge, and replaced it with a stone bridge.
Visitor Centre
For those of you who are green fingered, there are wonderful varieties of plants on show in the Parterre garden in the grounds.
Sadly from around 1960, the house was unoccupied, and fell into rack and ruin.
But in 1986, a gentleman by the name of Peter Pearson saw his intensive campaigning bear fruit, as an army of tradesmen and artists, many whom were in apprenticeship’s with FÁS, An Taisce and others, began work on restoring the famous dwelling back to its former glory.
It took a further ten years for the project to be completed, and President Mary Robinson was on hand in 1996 to cut the ribbon, and open the visitor centre that is still open for visits to this day.
