THE EARL OF DESMOND AND
THE CARRIGALINE CONNECTION.
The influence of the de Cogans declined in the late fourteenth century and Carrigaline Castle became the property of the Fitzgerald’s, Earls of Desmond. In the mid sixteenth century English Adventurers arrived among them Warren St Leger who secured Carrigaline Castle and surrounding districts and took possession of the castle in 1568.
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Carrigaline Castle
in ruins -sketched
in 1880
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However, this provoked the Desmond Rebellion under James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald and he recaptured the castle with little resistance in June 1568. However, it fell to the forces of Sir Henry Sydney in October 1569 being badly damaged by cannon fire. It was considered impregnable at the time and had it survived history might have been different. James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was not in the castle during it’s defence against Sidney’s forces, and went into hiding but in 1571 attacked and captured Kilmallock but eventually submitted to Perrott. He tried to regain Carrigaline Castle and Kerrycurrihy by peaceful means but failed in the negotiations. However, he left for Rome and Spain trying to gather foreign aid. He returned with 800 men to Smerwick.and went looking for help but was captured and killed near Kilmallock. The garrison at Dun an Oir were massacred.
Lady St Leger's Letter of appeal
Written by Lady Ursula St. Leger in Cork to the Lord Deputy on June 18th 1569.
"My humble duetie remembered to your honor it may please you to understande thet on wenesday last the Sherief went into Englande. On the morowe after James FitzMorrice with IIIJM (4,000) people was in Kerycurrehe by seven of the clocke warenings wee had none so that our howses were not so well furnished as thei ought to have been, so my Lorde they have taken Traightone and all that 1 had there & killed all my men; all this they did on fryday, my men kepte the howse till they had gotten pyke axes and then they vndern-dned the howse & came in. The first man they killed was Jhon Enchedon, and all that was in the howse; then the next morninge beinge Saterdaye they came to the Castell of Cardyleyn. In the mean time 1 caused them to comme away for they hadde neyther meate, nor drinke, nor powder, for to kepe it one daye. The Castell standes so that there cowId no provision be brought to them. The enemyes were informed by the tenauntes what vittel and provision was in the castell. They vnderstandinge their waunte were determined to tarry the famishinge of them, so the Saterday morninge before James is conuninge there, I sent a Bote for them & had not tyme to carry away my stufe. So my good Lord the best and the gretest store of my stufe is gone and all our horses that wee and the Sheriefe had. James hath confessed and shewed your Lordship letters that you sent to the Sherief. Good my Lord take pittie on me. They say playnly that they will never leve the towne of Corke till they have me and the Sheriefes wyfe. My 1.ord 1 beseche you pardon my boldness & take presente order for me that I be not destroyed amongste them so in haste 1 humblye take my leave at Corke the XVllJth day of June, 1569.
Your Lordships poore beadswoman, Vrsula Sentleger."
The other Cogan castle was at Balinrea, built in the thirteenth century but destroyed in a dispute between with the Fitzgerald’s in the early 1400’s. The remains of the third castle at Barnahely are still there – this features in negotiations between the Cogans and the authorities in the 17th century. The modern name Cogan is widespread in the Carrigaline and surrounding areas.
| Ballea Castle was built by the McCarthy’s but was acquired by the Hodder family who held it to until the early 1900’s. The Castle is built on a Rock on which is painted the famous White Horse. |
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Legend tell us the story of one of the Hodder Girls falling in love with a local farmer , much to the annoyance of her father who wanted her to marry an alder man. A big row broke out between father and daughter , resulting in her horse bolting and both horse and daughter going over the cliff. Ballea is one of the oldest residential castles in the country.
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After the fall of Carrigaline Castle the area around the rock lost it’s importance although a vibrant society continued to live in the area, and a church also remained there, the Church of Ireland church built in 1723 replacing an earlier church. The religious wars of the seventeenth century followed by the Cromwellian campaign had it’s toll on all churches.
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