De COGAN FAMILY, CARRIGALINE CASTLE AND
THE NORMAN CONQUEST of IRELAND.
CARRIGALINE CASTLE – One of the oldest castles in Ireland built by the Norman family of de Cogan that came to Ireland during the Norman invasion.. Built around 1180s, and it is situated on a rock from which the town ‘Carraig Ui Leighne’ takes its name.
The Norman Influence on the development of the town was significant. A number of Castles and fortified Houses from that era remain. Most important is the ruin of Carrigaline Castle situated at the Rock, 1.5km east of the present Town Centre
The castle was built by the Norman family of de Cogan that came to Ireland during the Norman Invasion, the founder Milo de Cogan being one of King Henry 11’s top Knights along with Robert Fitzstephen. The castle was probably started by Milo around 1180 but not completed until the 1190’s.
Carrigaline Castle
in ruins -Built on The Rock, Carrigaline East -sketched
in 1880
The name Carrigaline is a deviation of the Irish Carraig-Ui-Leighin, which actually means the Rock of the O’Lynes although some scholars maintain that the name derived from Carraigaloon which means the Rock of the Pool. The original village was situated near the Castle but in the early part of the seventeenth century after the fall of the castle the village was moved to it’s present site at the top of tidal Owenabwee Estuary where a bridge spanned the river and a network of roads spread to the south.
Ballea Castle is situated two Kms. west of the town was built about the end of the 16th century by the McCarthys and then it was passed on to the Hodders who held it until c1900. It is one of the oldest residential castles in Ireland. Famous for its white horse.
After the fall of Carrigaline Castle the area around the rock lost it’s importance although a vibrant society continued to live in the area, and a church also remained there, the Church of Ireland church built in 1723 replacing an earlier church. The religious wars of the seventeenth century followed by the Cromwellian campaign had it’s toll on all churches.
View of the Old Head of Kinsale
This section is under revision during this month. The excerpt from Sean O'Mahony's book 'The History and Folklore of Carrigaline' is not available at present due to copyright restrictions. Please come back next month to check for updated material
