Carrickhill Martello Tower — Carrickhill

Carrick Hill Martello Tower No. 4 (Kerrigan 1995, 174). According to Kerrigan (1995, 168) construction of the Dublin area Martello Towers and their batteries commenced in 1804 under the supervision of Colonel Benjamin Fisher of the Royal Engineers and by December 1805 all towers were armed and complete. Kerrigan (ibid., 174) recorded that; 'Twelve towers were constructed north of Dublin: each tower mounted one 24-pounder, apart from the tower on Ireland's Eye with two 24-pounders. No batteries were constructed with these towers'. Situated to the north of the Velvet Strand, Portmarnock, the tower was mainly used by an Invalid Gunner of the Royal Artillery. Disarmed by 1874, it was sold in 1928 when it was turned into living accommodation. It has been considerably altered with an upper storey and a crenellated parapet addition, a bay window inserted into east side and a wing attached to the north. The machicolation is still present over the western doorway. It is now four apartments set between the road and sea (Bolton et. al. 2012, 157). Martello Tower described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) as a; 'Martello tower, c.1805, on a circular plan with tapered profile. Projecting entrance porch, crenellated extension to roof and two-bay single-storey extension to side, c.1970. Now in use as dwelling' (NIAH Reg. No. 11345002; https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/11345002/carrick-hill-martello-tower-strand-road-carrickhill-portmarnock) See attached plan of Carrick Hill Martello Tower No. 4 courtesy of the Irish Military Archives - Archival Reference Code: IE/MA/MPD/AD119458-007 Photo © Ian Paterson (cc-by-sa/2.0) DU012-040----_03 Patrick Healy Collection, https://hdl.handle.net/10599/3158, © South Dublin Libraries, Local Studies Collection, County Library, Town Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 24 See attached Taylor's 1816 Map showing the location of the Martello Tower. Taylor, J. 1816 Taylor's map of the environs of Dublin: extending 10 to 14 miles from the castle, by actual survey, on a scale of 2 inches to one mile. See attached photos (05) taken by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00377 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16741 Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 24 January 2023