Cavalry Bks on Site of Gort Castle — Gort

According to Fahey (1893, 211-12) the castle at Gort was built on an island on the site of the 'palace' of Guaire Aidne Mac Colmáin, the sixth century king of Connacht. It seems likely that it was the principle residence of Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy, Lord of Kineal Aedh, when he was created baronet by Henry VIII, A.D. 1545 (Fahey 1893, 212). And it was here that the O'Shaughnessy, a few years later, entertained the Lord Deputy and his escort at a banquet almost regal in its ostentatious display. ‘On the 12th July he encamped near Gort, and dined at O'Shaughnessy's house so worshipfully that divers wondered at it, for such a dinner or the like of it was not seen in any Irishman's house before.’ (quoted in ibid.) His son, Dermot, petitioned Elizabeth I to have it and other castles re-granted to him in 1567 (Cal. S.P. Ire. 1509-73, 340) and, in 1574, it is simply recorded as in the possession of the ‘OShaghnes’ (Nolan 1901, 114). As is evident from the following account a substantial dwelling house had been built close to the castle by the mid-seventeenth century and the whole enclosed by a bawn. The Parliamentary Lieutenant-General of horse, Edmund Ludlow, provides a vivid account of the taking of the castle in early June 1650. Having initially requested those in the castle to submit they refused stating that, as they had already surrendered to Sir Charles Coote, they would only give over the castle to him. Ludlow sent a letter to Coote who responded that the former had command and this was sent to those in castle ‘telling them, that now I expected their obedience; but instead of that they sent me a defiance, and sounded their bagpipes in contempt of us; to which they were chiefly encouraged by one of the country, whom I had sent to bring in to me some iron bars, sledges, and pickaxes, and who under colour of going to fetch them, ran away to the enemy, and acquainted them with our want of artillery and instruments to force them. I gave orders to take up all the horses from grass, to bridle and saddle them, and to tie them to the tents of their respective troops, commanding two troops to mount the guard, and to send out scouts to discover if any enemy were near. The rest of the men I drew into several parties, and assigned them their particular attacks: every souldier carried a fagot before him, as well to defend himself, as to fill up the enemy's trenches, or to fire the gates, as there should be occasion. On one side of the wall there was an earth-work about eleven foot high, with a trench of equal breadth without. The wall of the court was about twelve foot high, well flanked. On the other side the place was secured by a river. Upon our first approach the enemy shot very thick upon us, and killed two of our men, which so enraged the rest, that they ran up to the works, and helping one another to the top of them, beat off the enemy, following them so close, that by means of some ladders which those within had made use of, they got into the court, and put to the sword most of those they found there, the enemy not daring to open the gate to receive their friends. Those of ours who had entered the court, having no instruments to force the house, made use of a wooden bar which they found, and with which they wrested out the iron bars of a strong stone window about six foot from the ground, and forced the enemy by their shot out of that room, where being entered, they put to the sword those that were there. Lieutenant Folliot finding his case desperate resolved to sell his life at as dear a rate as he could, and charged our men, who were nine or ten in number, with a tuck in one hand, and a stilletto in the other, defending himself so well with the one, and pressing them so hard with the other, that they all gave ground; but he closing with one of them whom he had wounded, and probably might have killed, gave an opportunity to another to run him through the body, by which wound he fell, and the house was quickly cleared of the rest. Most of the principal of the enemies being got into the castle, our men fired a great number of fagots at the gates, which burned so furiously, that the flame took hold of the floors and other timber within through the iron grate, which being perceived by those in the castle, they hung out a white flag, begging earnestly for mercy, and that we would take away the fire. I commanded my men to leave shooting, and acquainted the besieged, that if they expected any favour from us, they must throw down their arms, which they presently did: whereupon I ordered the fire to be taken away, and gave a souldier twenty shillings to fetch out two barrels of powder that was near the fire, which continued to burn so fiercely that we could not put it out, but were obliged to throw up skains of match into the chambers, by which those in the castle descended to us, being about fourscore in number, besides many women and children. We secured the men till the next morning, when I called a council of war; and being pressed by the officers, that some of the principal of them might be punished with death for their obstinacy, I consented to their demand, provided it might not extend to such as had been drawn in by the malice of others. Those who were tenants to Sir Dermot O'Shortness, and countrymen, I dismissed to their habitations, upon promise to behave themselves peaceably, and to engage against us no more: the rest of them we carried away with us.’ (Firth 1894, i, 271-3). This episode is also mentioned in a diary of a Parliamentary officer who records under an entry for 15 June 1650 that as their forces were returning via Gort they were ‘affronted by those in the castle of Gortinse belonging to Sir Roger Shaghnus, trusting to the strength of the place; our horse and dragoones notwithstanding their not haveing anything but their armes convenient for a storme yet forced the place after long and great dispute. About 40 of the rebels were slaine in the storme and after, 14 shot, the castle was burnt, but the house preserved.’ (Gilbert 1879-80, iii, 239). The castle and lands passed to Dermot O'Shaughnessy who was a captain in King James II's army at the battle of the Boyne: he died in 1690 at Gort. His son William was declared attainted and fled to France. The O'Shaughnessy lands were confiscated and granted to Sir Thomas Preston in 1697 (Fahey 1893, 212). In the later 18th century the 'historic castle and mansion were levelled to the earth, to supply space and building material for the present unoccupied military barrack’ (ibid., 213). The only surviving fragments are a twin-light late medieval window and possible medieval doorway which appear to have been reinstated into later barrack walls. The ITM coordinates for the castle provided here should not be considered as exact and are only indicative of its general location based on the available evidence. Compiled by: Paul Walsh Date of upload: 27 November 2017