| Dunluce Castle | |
|---|---|
Dún Libhse Dunluce Caissle[1] | |
| County Antrim,Northern Ireland,United Kingdom | |
 Dunluce Castle, 2018 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Controlled by | Northern Ireland Environment Agency |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Inruins |
| Location | |
  Dunluce Castle | |
| Coordinates | 55°12′41″N6°34′45″W / 55.21139°N 6.57917°W /55.21139; -6.57917 |
| Site history | |
| Built | Late Middle Ages and 17th century[2] |
Dunluce Castle (/dʊnˈluːs/; fromIrishDún Libhse)[3] is a now-ruined medievalcastle inNorthern Ireland, the seat of Clan MacDonnell. It is located on the edge of abasalt outcropping inCounty Antrim (betweenPortballintrae andPortrush), and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland. The castle is surrounded by extremely steep drops on either side, which may have been an important factor to the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to this place where an early Irish fort once stood.
In the 13th century,Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, built the first castle at Dunluce. It was first documented to be in the hands of theMcQuillan family in 1513. The earliest features of the castle are two largedrum towers about 9 metres (30 ft) in diameter on the eastern side, both relics of a stronghold built here by the McQuillans after they became lords ofthe Route. The McQuillans were the Lords of Route from the late 13th century until they were displaced by the MacDonnell after losing two major battles against them during the mid- and late-16th century.
Later Dunluce Castle became the home of the chief of theClan MacDonnell of Antrim and theClan MacDonald of Dunnyveg fromScotland. Chief John Mor MacDonald was the second son ofGoodJohn of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief ofClan Donald in Scotland. John Mor MacDonald l was born through John of Islay's second marriage to Princess Margaret Stewart, daughter of KingRobert II of Scotland. In 1584, on the death of James MacDonald the 6th chief of the Clan MacDonald of Antrim and Dunnyveg, the Antrim Glens were seized bySorley Boy MacDonnell, one of his younger brothers. Sorley Boy took the castle, keeping it for himself and improving it in the Scottish style. Sorley Boy swore allegiance toQueen Elizabeth I and his son Randal was made1st Earl of Antrim byKing James I.
Four years later, theGirona, agalleass from theSpanish Armada, was wrecked in a storm on the rocks nearby. Thecannons from the ship were installed in thegatehouses and the rest of the cargo sold, the funds being used to restore the castle. MacDonnell's granddaughter Rose was born in the castle in 1613.
Dunluce Castle served as the seat of theEarl of Antrim.Randal McDonnell, Earl of Antrim, and his wifeKatherine Villiers, Duchess of Buckingham bought lavish furnishings.[4] The castle was abandoned because of the impoverishment of the MacDonnells in 1690, following theBattle of the Boyne. Since that time, the castle has deteriorated and parts were scavenged to serve as materials for nearby buildings.
In 2011, major archaeological excavations found significant remains of the "lost town of Dunluce", which was razed to the ground in theIrish uprising of 1641.[5]
Lying adjacent to Dunluce Castle, the town was built around 1608 byRandall MacDonnell, the firstEarl of Antrim, and pre-dates the officialPlantation of Ulster.[5] It may have contained the most revolutionary housing in Europe when it was built in the early 17th century, including indoor toilets which had only started to be introduced around Europe at the time, and a complex street network based on a grid system.[5] 95% of the town is still to be discovered.[5]
Dunluce Castle is in the care of theNorthern Ireland Environment Agency. It is amonument in state care sited in thetownland ofDunluce, inColeraine Borough Council area, at grid ref: C9048 4137.[6] Theearthworks, adjacent to Dunluce Castle, are ascheduled historic monument, at grid ref: area of C905 412.[7]
Specific references:
General references:
Breen, Colin (2012).Dunluce Castle : archaeology and history. Dublin: Four Courts Press.ISBN 9781846823312.
