Barnankile castle: a hall house in the Waterford landscape
Niall C.E.J. O’Brien
The ruins of Barnankile castle is
situated in the townland of that name in the civil parish of Kilrossanty in mid
County Waterford. Barnankile means the ‘Gap of the Hazel Copse’. The building
stands on an east facing slope with the Comeragh Mountains as a backdrop in the
west. The castle is officially classified within the small seigniorial castles
known as a hall house. These buildings are generally two-storey structures with
a defended ground floor and a great hall on the first floor. The entrance is
normally on the first floor by way of an outside timber or stone staircase.
Most hall house types said to be thirteenth century with a few examples in the
fourteenth century or later.[1]
Medieval Barnankile
Barnankile was in the thirteenth
part of the large manor of Comeragh and owned by the Fitzgerald family of
Shanid in County Limerick who were raised to the peerage as Earls of Desmond in
1329. In July 1298 an extent of the manor of Comeragh was made in Dungarvan
following the death of Thomas Fitz Maurice. The manor was valued at £13 10s
10¼d (in 1300 revalued at £12 15s) and extended from Seskinan, on the Dungarvan
to Clonmel road, to Kilrossanty and onto Stradbally by the sea. Apart from the
mill at Stradbally no structure was mentioned.[2] It
is therefore unclear if Barnankile castle was built by 1298 or was later in the
fourteenth century. Elsewhere the escheator accounted for £6 15s 5¼d in income
for Comeragh manor. This record also mentions Stradbally mill bot no mention of
any castle.[3]
The extent of the manor of
Dungarvan mentions a good number of places in 1298 but none that can be
identified as Barnankile. This is not surprising as later records associate
Barnankile with Comeragh manor.[4]
Arrival of the first O’Briens
In the late fourteenth century
Barnankile became associated with the O’Brien family. There were two migrations
of O’Briens from their native County Clare to County Waterford in medieval
times. In the late eleventh century, Murtagh Mór O’Brien, King of Thomond and
Munster, settled some members of his extended family in County Waterford, then
known as the Kingdom of the Deisi. This was to strengthen his control over the
Deisi and keep an eye on the Vikings of Waterford city. The McGrath clan also
came from County Clare to Waterford at the same time and for the same reason.[5]
At first the O’Brien clan were
settled along the Blackwater and Suir rivers but following the Norman invasion
of 1169 they were pushed into the higher ground around the Comeragh Mountains.[6]
Arrival of the second O’Briens
After the death in 1367 of Mahon
O’Brien, King of Thomond, his brother, Tirlagh Maol became king but shortly
after he was displaced by Brian Sreamhach O’Brien. The Earl of Desmond came to
the assistance of Tirlagh Maol at the battle of Monasternenagh but both lost.
As compensation, in 1370, the Earl of Desmond settled Tirlagh Maol O’Brien in
the manor of Comeragh in County Waterford. Thus Tirlagh Maol O’Brien came to
live at Barnankile castle and died there in 1398.[7]
Building of Barnankile castle
When Tirlagh Maol O’Brien came to
Barnankile in 1370 it would appear that the castle was built by that time. The
historical records are not extensive enough to say when the castle was built
and no archaeological excavation has been carried out on the site to locate any
dateable evidence. It is not mention in 1298 but as Professor Mike Aston used
to say ‘The absence of evidence [is not the] evidence of absence’.[8] The
window surrounds could have provided some dating evidence but they were removed
long before 1901 by people seeking as easy quarry for stone.[9]
Barnankile castle c.1901 - Waterford County Museum photo
Grant of Barnankile in 1413
In 1413 James, 7th
Earl of Desmond, granted Tirlagh mac Tadhg O’Brien the manor of Comeragh
subject to the payment of an annual chief rent. The manor cover eight plowlands
and included the townlands of Comeragh, Briska, Knockancullin, Crough,
Gortnalaght, Furraleigh, Kilcomeragh, Graiguerush, Cutteen, Ballykilmurry,
Curraun, Barnakile, Boulattin, Curraheen, Knockyelan, Bellaheen, Leamybrien,
Kilgobnet, Ballyknock, Inchindrisla, Killadangan, Ballyconnery, Currabehy,
Kilbrien, Ballynakill, Kilfarrel, Coolnasmear, Scartnadriny, Bohadoon and
Barracree.[10]
O’Briens of Barnankile
After 1421 when much of the
Fitzgerald estate in County Waterford was entrusted to the Fitzgerald family of
Dromana, the O’Brien family of Barnankile paid the chief rent to Dromana and no
longer to the Earl of Desmond.[11]
The O’Briens of Barnankile became
noted horsemen with smart harness for their horses and flamboyant dress code,
particularly in ceremonial occasions.[12]
They were known as the O’Briens of the Silken Bridles.[13]
In the wars between the Earl of
Desmond and the le de Poer family of County Waterford in the sixteenth century,
the O’Briens of Barnankile sided with the de la Poers. At the battle of
Curraghbaha East (also known as the battle of Boreen-na-Gurp) both families
were heavily defeated.[14] In
the early seventeenth century both families fell out of friendship and in June
1639 Thomas Power of Carrickanure challenged Derby O’Brien of Kilcomeragh for
the ownership of Comeragh manor. The deed of 1413 was produced in court and the
O’Briens continued to hold Barnankile and the Comeraghs.[15]
Among the chiefs of the O’Brien
family to live at Barnankile included Tirlagh O’Brien (alive 1421), Tirlagh
O’Brien (grandson of the latter), Donagh O’Brien, Tirely O’Brien (pardoned
1567), and Donagh O’Brien (pardoned 1620).[16] Although
Barnankile castle was the grandest of all the O’Brien castles the chief of the
family in the seventeenth century, Derby O’Brien, preferred to live at
Kilcomeragh.
In the famous battle of Affane in
1465 the O’Briens of Barnankile supported the Earl of Ormond and their
immediate chief, Sir Maurice Fitzgerald of Dromana against the Earl of Desmond.
Yet within twenty years many O’Briens went out in rebellion and supported the
Earl of Desmond. These were pardoned and for a time kept their lands.[17]
But having survived the reign of
Queen Elizabeth the O’Briens were under pressure in the reign of James the
First. Early in the reign King James granted the eight ploughlands held by the
family since 1413 to Richard Nugent, Lord Delvin in Westmeath. This grant was
forever subject to a chief rent of £5 per year to Dromana. By 1618 Derby
O’Brien of Kilcomeragh had come to an understanding with Richard Nugent of
Cloncoskeran and they both became trustees of the McGrath estate of Mountain
Castle.[18]
In 1639 Derby O’Brien was a witness to the lease of Mountain Castle by Philip
McGrath to his son, John McGrath and Edmund Butler (brother-in-law of John).[19]
Barnankile in 1640
In 1640 Derby O’Brien of
Kilcomeragh held the one and a half ploughlands of Barnankile and Curriheenedoty.
There a chief rent of £3 per annum payable to the Fitzgerald family of Dromana
from the property. Barnankile castle was described as a mansion house with a
considerable slate roof encircled by a large bawn.[20]
The considerable slate roof was remembered in local folklore up until 1938 when
Shelia Flynn recorded this feature in the Folklore Commission Schools
Collection.
Around the house were
outbuildings and a good orchard and quickset hedges which implies a well layout
landscape. Nearby was a mill worth £4. The land had 150 maturing trees with 150
acres of meadow, 94 acres of pasture and 4 acres of meadow and this land was
worth about £16.5 per acre.[21]
Confederate War 1641-53
In October 1641 rebellion broke
out in Ireland to follow the war in Scotland and the forthcoming civil war in
England. Tirlagh and Donagh O’Brien of Barnankile joined their neighbours in
rebel. In January 1642 Tirlagh O’Brien defeated Lord Broghill’s army at Affane
and advanced across the River Blackwater into the English area of control.[22]
With this advance of the Irish
forces many English settlers came to have suffered physical harm and to be
robbed of their possessions. Charles Hart of Kilgobinet claimed that Tirlagh
O’Brien robbed him of £9. Katherine Croker of Ballyanchor claimed that she was
striped and robbed of £42 by various people including Tirlagh O’Brien.[23]
By July 1642 the English forces
had recovered from their initial setbacks and went on the advance. Lord
Broghill retook Cappoquin and relieved Knockmoan castle on the road to
Dungarvan.[24]
At the start of 1643 Sir Charles
Vavasour took charge of the English army in County Waterford and advance on
Dungarvan. After a hard fight he took the town and castle. Vavasour then moved
eastwards to Barnankile castle.[25] A
fierce battle was fought at Barnankile castle in 1642 [1643?] as the O’Brien
were entrenched behind the barricades. It was said that about eight hundred
people were killed.[26] But
the battle was a draw rather than a victory for either side. The strong
medieval walls of the hall house were just too much. Instead Vavasour moved on
to take Kilcomeragh castle without a fight and went on to take Kilmacthomas and
Stradbally.[27]
Local folklore says that after
the O’Brien family left Barnankile the O’Whelan family had the castle in the
late 1640s. In 1649 the castle was attacked by Oliver Cromwell’s forces while
O’Whelan was in occupation. The castle was bombarded from the top of Grawn
Hill.[28]
This story is in conflict with
other accounts. On 2nd December 1649 Oliver Cromwell lifted the
siege on Waterford and moved onto Kilmacthomas. On the following day he crossed
the Mahon River and advanced on Barnankile and Kilcomeragh castle. On this day
the O’Briens were still in residence and were actually surprised by Cromwell’s
advance. It seems the family offered some resistance and four sons of Derby
O’Brien were said to be hanged for this.[29]
Barnankile after 1653
Although Derby O’Brien appears
not to have gone out personally to fight in the Confederate War he suffered
blamed like many others. The Parliament government had promised their soldiers
land in Ireland in lieu of their long overdue wages and so Barnankile was in
the line of fire for confiscation. In 1653 Derby O’Brien, his wife Mary and
their family were transplanted to Connacht.[30]
In about 1660 there were 34 tax
payers in Barnankile townland, the second highest population figure in
Kilrossanty parish – Ballykerogemore had more people (38 tax payers).[31]
In 1662 James Fitzgerald, Daniel oge McGrath, John Grant, Nicholas Power,
Edmund O Mychan, Morish Forehane, Frances Hally and Teige O Mulcahy were all
residents at Barnankile and were all husbandmen.[32]
The restoration of King Charles
II held out the promise of restoration of the confiscated Irish lands but the
king found this politically impossible to do even if he wished to do so.
Instead further people were named as former rebels. In the 1660s Terence
O’Brien of Kilcomeragh was indicted as a rebel during the Confederate War
(1641-1653).[33]
But of course not all the
confiscated land was acquired by retired English soldiers. Much of the O’Brien
estate in Kilrossanty parish was taken over by Katherine Fitzgerald, daughter
of Gerald Fitzgerald of Dromana. The house of Dromana was the previous head
landlord of these lands and so had a good claim to have the property.[34]
By 1850 Barnankile had passed to the Kennedy family with Sir Charles Edward
Kennedy, baronet, as immediate landlord.[35]
Barnankile c.1940 showing south wall and outer west wall
Later accounts
Local folklore recounts the story
that there was gold hidden in the castle. Yet although the castle has only
possessed two outer walls for many decades, possibly centuries, few people have
ventured in the find the gold or they would be chased by two black bulls.[36]
It is not known when this story first became popular.
In 1746 Charles Smith mentioned
the ancient castle at Barnankile but gave no description of it save to say that
it was surrounded by a large tract of wood.[37]
In about 1840 John O’Donovan
described Barnankile as a two storey structure with large window embrasures in
the first floor.[38]
A photo of Barnankile castle, taken about 1901, shows the outer west wall and a
portion of the south gable wall.[39]
This was the same description given by Shelia Flynn in the 1938 Schools
Folklore collection. Shelia Flynn gave the castle dimensions as sixty feet long
by twenty-five feet wide by thirty feet tall with the recollection of it once
having a flagged roof.[40]
The Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford, published in 1999, described
Barnankile as a strong-house of internal dimensions of 19.65meters N-S and
about 6.85meters E-W. By 1989 only three double-splay loops in lintelled
embrasures could be seen in the west wall. That same wall had fallen
considerably since 1938 as it was only about 3meters high or about 10feet.[41]
It is not known for how long more
the seven hundred year old Barnankile castle will survive. Even to find it on
the ground can be a challenge as it is sited at different locations in
different maps. Yet it is an important castle to preserve as a hall house type
of castle are not that common in County Waterford and they bridge the gap
between the great Anglo-Norman castles of the thirteenth century and the more
numerous tower houses of the fifteenth and sixteenth century.
Bibliography
Ainsworth, J., ‘Survey of
Documents in Private Keeping’, in Analecta
Hibernica, No. 25, 1967
Ainsworth, J. & MacLysaght,
E., ‘Survey of Documents in Private Keeping’, in Analecta Hibernica, No. 20, 1958
Aston, M. and Gerrard, C., Interpreting the English Village: Landscape
and Community at Shapwick, Somerset (Oxford, 2013)
Moore, M. (ed.), Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford
(Dublin, 1999)
O’Brien, F., The O’Briens of Deise (author, 2001)
Pender, S. (ed.), A census of Ireland circa 1659 with
essential materials from the Poll Money Ordinances 1660-1661 (Dublin, 2002)
Simington, R. (ed.), The Civil Survey A.D. 1654-1656 County of
Waterford Vol. VI with appendices (Dublin, 1942)
Smith, C., The Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Waterford,
edited by Donal Brady (Dungarvan, 2008)
Sweetman, D., ‘The origin and
development of the tower-house in Ireland’, in Ludlow, J. & Jameson, N.
(eds.), Medieval Ireland: The Barryscourt
Lectures I-X (Cork, 2004), pp. 261-287
Sweetman, H.S. (ed.), Calendar of Documents relating to Ireland
(5 vols. Liechtenstein, 1974), vol. 4, 1293-1301
Tallon, G. (ed.), Court of Claims: Submissions and Evidence
1663 (Dublin, 2006)
Walton, J., ‘The subsidy roll of
County Waterford, 1662’, in Analecta
Hibernica, No. 30, 1982, pp. 49-96
=============
End of post
=============
[1]
Sweetman, D., ‘The origin and development of the tower-house in Ireland’, in Ludlow,
J. & Jameson, N. (eds.), Medieval
Ireland: The Barryscourt Lectures I-X (Cork, 2004), pp. 261-287, at p. 264
[2]
Sweetman, H.S. (ed.), Calendar of
Documents relating to Ireland (5 vols. Liechtenstein, 1974), vol. 4,
1293-1301, pp. 259, 260, 340
[3]
Thirty-Eighth report of the Deputy Keeper
of the Public Records in Ireland (Dublin, 1906), p. 41
[4]
Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of Documents
relating to Ireland, vol. 4, 1293-1301, no. 551
[5]
O’Brien, F., The O’Briens of Deise
(author, 2001), pp. 30, 32
[6]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p. 34
[7]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, pp.
38, 39
[8]
Aston, M. and Gerrard, C., Interpreting
the English Village: Landscape and Community at Shapwick, Somerset (Oxford,
2013), p. 132; Mick Aston Interviewed by Oxbow Books & The David Brown Book
Company https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RR7-A3ghAQ
accessed on 2nd June 2017
[9]
Waterford County Museum, http://www.waterfordcountyimages.org/exhibit/web/DisplayPrintableImage/K0snOFXbBzSsk/1/
accessed on 1st June 2017
[10]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, pp.
38, 39
[11]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p. 40
[12]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p. 40
[13]
Dúchas, Shelia Flynn story for the Schools Folklore Collection = http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5286167/5285600
accessed on 1st June 2017
[14]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p. 42
[15]
Ainsworth, J., ‘Survey of Documents in Private Keeping’, in Analecta Hibernica, No. 25, 1967, p. 61
[16]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, pp.
45, 46, 47
[17]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, pp.
61, 67
[18]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, pp.
71, 72, 92; Ainsworth, J. & MacLysaght, E., ‘Survey of Documents in Private
Keeping’, in Analecta Hibernica, No.
20, 1958, p. 93
[19]
Ainsworth & MacLysaght, ‘Documents in Private Keeping’, in Analecta Hibernica, No. 20, 1958, p. 95
[20]
Simington, R. (ed.), The Civil Survey
A.D. 1654-1656 County of Waterford Vol. VI with appendices (Dublin, 1942),
p. 78
[21]
Simington (ed.), The Civil Survey A.D.
1654-1656 County of Waterford Vol. VI, p. 78
[22]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p.
101
[23]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, pp.
102, 103
[24]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p.
105
[25]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p.
107
[26]
Dúchas, Margaret Kiely story for the Schools Folklore Collection = http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428144/4381560
accessed on 1st June 2017. Thank you to Aisling Corcoran for locating this source.
[27]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p.
107
[28]
Dúchas, Shelia Flynn story for the Schools Folklore Collection = http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5286167/5285600
accessed on 1st June 2017
[29]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, pp.
110, 126
[30]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p. 51
[31]
Pender, S. (ed.), A census of Ireland
circa 1659 with essential materials from the Poll Money Ordinances 1660-1661 (Dublin,
2002), p. 337
[32]
Walton, J., ‘The subsidy roll of County Waterford, 1662’, in Analecta Hibernica, No. 30, 1982, pp.
49-96, at p. 78
[33]
Tallon, G. (ed.), Court of Claims:
Submissions and Evidence 1663 (Dublin, 2006), no. 889
[34]
O’Brien, The O’Briens of Deise, p.
131
[35]
Griffith’s Valuation, Barnankile, Kilrossanty parish, Decies without Drum
barony, County Waterford
[36]
Dúchas, Margaret Kiely story for the Schools Folklore Collection = http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428144/4381559
accessed on 1st June 2017
[37]
Smith, C., The Ancient and Present State
of the County and City of Waterford, edited by Donal Brady (Dungarvan,
2008), p. 61
[38]
Moore, M. (ed.), Archaeological Inventory
of County Waterford (Dublin, 1999), no. 1624
[39]
Waterford County Museum, http://www.waterfordcountyimages.org/exhibit/web/DisplayPrintableImage/K0snOFXbBzSsk/1/
accessed on 1st June 2017
[40]
Dúchas, Shelia Flynn story for the Schools Folklore Collection = http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5286167/5285600
accessed on 1st June 2017
[41]
Moore, Archaeological Inventory of County
Waterford, no. 1624
