Site of Castle — Carrickmines Great

Only the gatehouse and a section of a revetted stone fosse and curtain wall with mural tower remains standing of Carrickmines Castle and bawn (DU026-005002-) which is located in the townland of Carrickmines Great (Carraig Mhaighin Mhór), in the parish of Tully in the barony of Rathdown. This gatehouse has been been incorporated into post-1700 farm outbuildings. The castle stands on low-lying terrain off the Golden Ball-Carrickmines Road, on the S side of a stream which marks the townland boundary with Carrickmines Little to the N and Brenanstown to the NE. A U-Shaped building with large enclosure attached to N side is depicted in the area of the medieval castle on Rocque's 1760 map of County Dublin where it is shown standing immediately W of a road which traverses the stream to NE. The castle appears to have been built to control this road and crossing point over the stream to the NE where Carrickmines Bridge is depicted on the 1st. ed. OSi 6-inch map. On this map the castle appears to the have stood to the N of a cluster of dwellings with a larger dwelling to the SSE. According to D'Alton (1838, 836) in 1178 Archbishop O'Toole confirmed the church of 'Carrickmayne', with all it tithes to Christ Church. In 1295 the Roll of Service of Dublin, recorded a payment of 3s. from 'Roger fitz David, for Karrkmayn [Carrickmines]' (Cal. doc. Ire., Vol. 4, 108, no. 259). Two years earlier in 1293 there was a royal grant of 'English laws and customs to persons purporting to be Irishmen' which included 'Roger Fitz David' (Cal. doc. Ire., Vol. 4, 6, no. 19). In 1297/8 there is a payment of 5s. in the Roll of service of Tristledermot [Castledermot] from 'Roger David de Carmayn [Carrickmines]' (Cal. doc. Ire., Vol. 4, 222, no. 473). In 1301/02 the Pipe Roll of Edward I recorded a payment from 'Roger Dauy [David] for Aunger de Lisbon, 5s. for the service of one foot serjeant from Carrickmayn [Carrickmines]' (38th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Ireland, 61). In 1314/15 in the Pipe Roll of 9 Edward II recorded payment into the treasury from the 'Lands of Adam de Cromelyn, co. Dublin' which included the following payment from Carrikmayn [Carrickmines]; 'He accounts for 13s. 4d. rent of 40 acres, 6 cottars and issues from pasturage of the demesnes which belonged to Roger son of David at Carrikmayn near Senekyl [Shankill], in the King's hand by the death of said Roger from 16 Mar. a.r. v., to 15 May same year, before the premises were delivered to John his son and heir. Sum 13s. 4d.—deduct 6s. 8d. rent of 40 acres sown before death of said Roger. Sum 6s. 8d.'(Appendix to 39th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Ireland, 61). Around 1326 there is a reference to Carrickmines [Carricmayn] in the rental account of the Prior of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (Christchurch DU018-020270-) which received payment of 40s. for 40 acres in Carrickmines [Carricmayn] and Ballybrennan from Maurice Howell (Mills 1891, 195). The Irish Exchequer Payments recorded that in 1335-6 a sum of £13 6s. 8d. in compensation for expenses incurred by John de Troye, baron of the exchequer who had been 'lately appointed by various letters patent under the great seal to supervise wards placed by the king and the communities of those parts at Killoghtre, Kylmartre, Newcastle McKinegan, Kylrothery, Bree, Carrigmayn [Carrickmines], Dundrom, Tauelaght and Saggart in Leinster in Co. Dublin and at Kylhele, Rathmore, Balymore and Grane in Cos. Kildare and Carlow, in defence of the marches of those counties and the king's faithful people there against the hostile attacks of Obryn, Otothill, Onolan and their accomplices, then enemies of the king, who were daily invading the marches and people and committing homicides, depredations, burnings and other crimes, and he stayed with many armed men and archers not without heavy labours and expenses for no small time in supervising these wards and the persons nominated for those wards, to see whether they, the nominated persons or others in the place of those who were unfit stayed there continuously and if any did not come or send others in their place, and who left the wards without licence, and when each arrived and left, and if those coming to the wards were suitably arrayed and furnished with horses and arms, and to punish tor their contempt and rebellion those who did not come or did not stay in the wards' (Connolly 1998, 472). In 1359, John Scrop, the clerk of the wages of men at arms in Leinster was ordered by Edward III to pay 'John Bermingham kt, who was in the parts of Carrigmayn with men-at-arms [etc.] to resist Obryn and Otothill' (Close Roll 33 Edward III, Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters). In 1372 the Prior and Convent of the Holy Trinity Church [Christchurch DU018-020270-] leased to 'Sir Thomas Walsch, chaplain, the town of Balybrenan [adjoining to Carrickmines], (the tithes both great and small thereto belonging, being reserved); for 20 years; rent, 4 marks. Lessee is bound to do suit of court at Clonken twice a year, to build and maintain a stone house on the premises within four years, and to surrender it in good condition at the end of term, under a penalty of double the rent. Should lessee die during the term, lessors to be entitled to heriot, or half a mark, at their pleasure; and should the rent be in arrear for 15 days, lessors may re-enter the premises and recover the rent in arrear as a simple debt' (Appendix to 23rd Report of the Deputy Keeper of Ireland, 120, Deed No. 717). In 1374 a letter to the Treasurer and chamberlains of the exchequer, stated that, John Colton, Treasurer of Ireland, 'stayed at Carrykmayn for eight days, and later for one month, with a great company of defensible men beyond his own retinue to resist them [the Irish] in salvation of the neighbouring marches, where every day he rode from morning to evening with others of the said marches undertaking various excessive labours at his own costs' (Close Roll 48 Edward III, Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters). In 1395 there is a reference to the manor of 'Carrykmayne' and other manors which 'belonged to John fitz James Archbold and Hugh Lawless kt (which have come into the K.'s hand both by forfeiture and acquisition)' (Close Roll 18 Richard II A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters). On the 11th of March 1400 the Crown recorded that; 'Thorncastelle co. Dublin in Ireland. Order of the issues and rents of that manor to pay to Henry Adamesone of Cairykmayn [Carrickmines] 100s. a year, which for good service the king has granted him' (Calendar of the Close Rolls Henry IV, Vol. 1, 69). In 1415 the English crown recorded a royal pardon to 'William Walsh of Carrykmayn of debts and accounts' (Patent Roll 2 Henry V, A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters). The terrier of the Down Survey of the Parish of Tully recorded that the lands of Carrickmines and Glenamuck amounting to 844 acres, in 1640 belonged to the Irish Papist, Theobald Welsh [Walsh] where 'there stands only the Walls of a ffayre Stone House' (NLI, Ms. 714). On the 22nd of April, 1529 before the Barons of the Exchequer an Inquisition recorded that 'Theobald Walshe was seised of the manor of Carrykmayn. held in chief at 6s. royal service. James his s[on]. & h[eir]., inherited & d[ied]. without lineal heir. James nearest heir, his brother Robert, intruded himself & held the manor from James' death, i.e. from 15 Dec 1512' (Griffith 1991, 22). The 1654-56 Civil Survey of County Dublin recorded that there was on the lands of 'Theobald Walsh of Carrickmayne', Captain of a Foot Company in the Irish Army, 'the Walles of a Castle, an Orchard, and garden plott, a Bawne; the Buildings are Valued by the Jury at Tenn poundes' (Simington 1945, 270). According to this jury the Castle of Carrickmines was 'a Mannor & kept Court Leet, the Tithes belong to Christ-Church' (ibid.). The castle was attacked and partially destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641-2. On the 2nd of April, 1642, a letter was sent fr