Castle — motte in Athlone

The Kingdom of Míde [Meath] was granted to Hugh de Lacy in 1172 (Mills and McEnery 1916, 177) and the process of sub-infeudation and settlement began soon afterwards but it is unlikely that any effective inroads were made as far west as Athlone for some time. The original Anglo-Norman grantee of Athlone was Geoffrey de Costentin who was granted a cantred in Connacht adjoining Athlone in 1200 (Cal. doc. Ire., no. 137; Orpen 1907, 259; Claffey 1970-1, 55). In this year, King John of England granted Geoffrey de Costentin, ‘a cantred in Connaught called Tirieghrachbothe’ (Cal. doc. Ire., 22). If a motte castle had been constructed in Athlone then Geoffrey would have been responsible for the construction of this earth and timber castle (WM020-042098-) between the years 1191 and 1199 (Orpen 1911-20, II, 129; Graham 1980, 53; Bradley et. al. 1985, 35). In 1199 the annals recorded that a 'depredation was comitted on the Foreigners by Cathal Crobhderg, who burned the bódhún [bawn] of Ath [Athlone], and killed many persons; and they carried with them many cows to their homes' (ALC). The use of the word bódhún [Cow fort] anglicised as bawn to describe an Anglo-Norman fortification suggests that the fortification may have been a ringwork type earthwork rather than a motte. Alternativey the bawn may have been a reference to the bailey or courtyard adjoining the motte castle. Graham (1980, 52-3) suggests that Athlone formed a part of the final western frontier of the Liberty of Meath, a frontier which also included the motte castles of Granard (LF010-080001-), Co. Longford, Kilbixy (WM011-041----) and Rathconrath (WM018-093----), Co. Westmeath. The construction dates of the latter two motte castles, in 1192 and 1191 respectively, dates the formation of this frontier in his view. Accordingly a date between 1191 and 1199 could be proposed for the construction of the Athlone motte castle (Bradley et. al. 1985, 36). Claffey (1970-1, 55) has suggested that de Costentin may not have built a motte but merely reused the Ua Conchobhar [O'Conor] fortification (WM029-042098-) in Athlone. This suggestion finds some support in the Annals of Loch Cé reference to the Bishop of Norwich building in Athlone a new bridge (WM029-042004-) and a 'castle (WM029-042002-) instead of 'Ua Conchobhar's [O'Conor's] castle (WM029-042098-)' in 1210. Even if the survival of the Ua Conchobhar castle until 1210 were accepted, however, this does not exclude the construction of a motte because mottes were frequently built on top of ringforts and other pre-existing settlements (Graham 1980, 51). Claffey (1970-1, 55) further suggests that de Costentin's settlement was sited on the east bank of the Shannon but Orpen (1907, 263-4) was of the opinion that the original motte was built, and could still be detected, on the site of the present stone castle (WM029-042003-). The visit of King John to Ireland in 1210 marks a turning point in the development of Athlone. John de Grey, Bishop of Norwich, was appointed justiciar of Ireland as part of John’s efforts to improve the administration of the colony and he appears to have recognized the strategic importance of Athlone as the gateway between the Anglo-Norman liberty of Meath and Connacht, still effectively in Irish hands (Orpen 1911-20, II, 281; Claffey 1970-1, 56). De Grey appears to have desired to establish Athlone as the joint seat (with Dublin) of English administration in Ireland (Claffey 1970-1, 56) and the first step in this plan was the construction of new stone castle (WM029-042002-) and bridge (WM029-042004-) at Athlone in 1210. The 13th century Anglo-Norman stone castle may have been built on the site of the 12th century motte castle which in turn was built on the site of the Gaelic earth and timber fortification of the O'Conor's. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 29 November 2013