Site of Castle

Blackhall Castle site located S of houses facing onto Blackhall Lane, now Backhall Street, in the town of Mullingar (WM019-018----). Castle site (WM019-089032-) located 140m to NW, site of Dominican Abbey (WM019-089004-) located 50m to W. Castle mentioned in 1632 (Fenning 1964, 113). Described in 1653 as 'one castle and hall with a garden plot called the black hall now inhabited by Lt Robert Harrysson and used for the store house of the said town' (Andrews and Davies 1992, 14). In 1667 the confirmation of a land grant to Sir Arthur Forbes under the Acts of Settlement and Explanation described the monument as 'one Castle & Hall thereunto adjoining the Dominican Abbey (WM019-089004-) consisting of 5 House-rooms with closes & Parks consisting of 10a of meadow' (NLI p 1895). The castle is annotated as a 'store of bread' on Richards 1691 map of Mullingar. On this map the castle is shown as a rectangular building aligned N-S standing on the S side of Blackhall Lane at the W end of the street close to the present junction with Grove St. Black Hall castle demolished before 1837 (Andrews and Davies 1992, 10). Depicted as ‘Site of Castle ’ on the 1837 edition of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map but not indicated on subsequent editions. Dominican Abbey (in Ruins) (WM019-089004-) is marked near this location on the 1910 edition of the Ordnance Survey 25-inch map but no castle site is depicted on this map. Modern car park located in area marked as ‘Site of Castle’ on 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. This castle in the town of Mullingar may have been one of several fortified town houses similar to those at Ardee and Carlingford in Co. Louth. Piers’ (1981, 78) description of these buildings in the town of Mullingar suggests that they were still common in 1682: 'The ancient buildings here were old fashionable castles, some of which remain yet, and some are demolished, and better or at least more commodious houses are built in their room' (Bradley et. al. 1985, 116). See attached image of Blackhall castle depicted as building G on Richards Map of 1691, where it is shown standing to the W of the motte and bailey castle (WM019-089005-) - taken from Irish Historic Towns Atlas of Mullingar (Andrews and Davies 1992, Map 4). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 16 June 2014

The site of Castle in Mullingar was likely held by the MacDermotts, Gaelic chieftains of the region, during the medieval period. It is remembered for its strategic position near the Dominican Abbey and its association with the historical power struggles in central Ireland.