ihtbangan, Castlcbcrmot, Mm 
 
 1864. 
 
\ 
 
RATHAXGAX. 
 
 Rathangan was called in Irish Rath-Imghain, Img- 
 han's Fort. The rath from which it takes its name 
 is in a field near the church, and is about 180 feet in 
 diameter.* 
 
 In 1176 Strongbow granted the barony of Offaly, 
 including Rathangan, to Maurice Fitzgerald. 
 
 In 1316 Edward Bruce, who had been crowned 
 King of Ireland, having, with his army, wintered in 
 Westmeath, marched through " Rathynegan" on his 
 way to the south.f 
 
 On the 7th July, 1329 Richard, third Earl of Kil- 
 dare, died at Rathangan, at the age of twelve years, 
 and was buried at Kildare. 
 
 In 1534, at the time of the rebellion of " Silken 
 Thomas," Rathangan Castle was strongly fortified 
 and garrisoned. 
 
 * O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, 
 t Grace's Annals. 
 
 4043 
 
4 
 
 RATHANGAN. 
 
 In February, 1535, John Allen, Master of the 
 Eolls, in a letter to Thomas Cromwell, Secretary of 
 State, recommends that the castle should be taken by 
 the Royal forces as soon as possible.* It was accord- 
 ingly carried by assault in April. 
 
 Holinshedf relates that " when the Castel of Rath- 
 ingan was woon, which was soone after the surrender 
 of Maynoth, hee (the Earl of Kildare)| caused a drove 
 of cattell to appear timely in the morning, hard by 
 the towne. Such as kept the Fort suspecting it to 
 be a bootie were trayned for the more part out of the 
 castel, who were surprised by Thomas, that lay hard 
 by in ambushe, and the greater number of them 
 slaine." The Earl however continued to harass the 
 garrison. At one time "Mr. Thesaurer,§ sending owte 
 of the Nass certen cartes of vittels to the castell of 
 Rathangan, Thomas Fitzgerald, having knowledge 
 thereof, furnished with the strength of Ochonor and 
 other fals traitors, purposed to intercept the same, 
 but Mr. Thesaurer, with such cumpany as was with 
 him, which as we hear saie was Musgrave, Dacres, 
 and Thomas Eustace,|| hearing of ther intent, foloid 
 
 * State Papers. Henry VIII. vol. ii. p. 229. 
 t Holinshed's History of Ireland. 
 
 X Silken Thomas, tenth Earl of Kildare, who had lately 
 succeeded to the Earldom. 
 
 § Sir William Brabazon. || Cousin to the Earl. 
 
RATHANGAN. 
 
 5 
 
 and mett with him, and notwithstanding the doble 
 number of them, as it is said, to him and his cumpa- 
 ny, he sett upon them, and so not oonlie, in conclu- 
 sion, discomfite them, but killed sixteen of ther hors-. 
 men, and the capitaine of ther galloglas."* 
 
 In July, 1535, the castle was retaken by the Earl. 
 '* The traitor, with the aide of Ochonor, assaulted 
 agayne the court and castell of Rathangan, wherin 
 was certen of the retynew of Sir William Bretons, 
 who first looste the base curte, and after yelded the 
 castell, which was brought to passe by the tradyment 
 of Felom Boy Ochonor, whom, after he was indighted 
 and arrayned of diverse treasons, murdours and felo- 
 nies before us, at Kildare, befor our last comeing into 
 Inglande, my Lord Deputie, without proces or order 
 of law, constrayned the shirif to delyver him at 
 large, and after put him in trust for the vitteleng 
 and oversight of the said garrison. Mr. Thesaurer, 
 the next daie after, not having perfite knowlege ther- 
 of, but thinking with his cumpany to make a jornaie 
 into Allon, where the traytour was socored, which is 
 not past four miles from the Naas, yit to be suer, 
 whether it were true or not, resorted thitherwarde ; 
 and if knowlege had not been sent befor, by some 
 of thois which were in his owne cumpany, as al be 
 
 State Papers, vol. ii. p. 260. 
 
6 
 
 RATHANGAN. 
 
 fals traitours of theis Geraldines, he had founde 
 Thomas, with many of his cumpany, within the cas- 
 tell and curte ; but or he came, they fledd, and so he 
 entred the castell and court agayne ; albeit, no 
 Inglishman wold tary in it to kepe it, which had loost 
 it twies befor, and Kildare also. Wherupon he entre- 
 ted Sir James Fitz Gerald to take upon him the kep- 
 ing of it, graunting him wagis for as many of his 
 men as shuld be in it ; and so he hath warded it with 
 horsemen, gunners, and other footemen, and kepethe 
 it salvelie hitherto."* 
 
 Sir James Fitz Gerald was uncle to the Earl, and 
 notwithstanding his services to the crown, was in the 
 following February arrested and sent to England, 
 where he was confined in the tower of London with 
 his nephew, and after a year's imprisonment exe- 
 cuted^ 
 
 In a " Memorial for the winning of Leynster," for- 
 warded by the Council of Ireland to the King in 1537, 
 it was proposed that the younger son or brother of 
 some good English family should receive out of the 
 forfeited lands the manor of Rathangan with the baro- 
 ny of Offaly.f And in the same year W. Cowley 
 suggests that the various border castles should be 
 given to " such as are marchars, men of warre, hav- 
 
RATHANGAN. 
 
 7 
 
 ing good retynues ;" and among others the " Fas- 
 sagh of Rathaingan."* In another letter it is sug- 
 gested that when the Lord Deputy has conference 
 with the Irish chiefs, in order to save expense, he 
 should reside in one of the border fortresses. " If 
 with O'Chonour, he be in . . . Rathangan," which 
 was on the border of that chief's country, Offaly.| 
 
 In March, 1538, the Lord Deputy wrote that he 
 had been trying to induce O'Connor to submit. 
 " Apon the morowe he cam, upon save conducte, 
 unto my sayd servaunt, into the Kinges castell of 
 Rathangan, and with hym from thens to the citie of 
 Dublyn, where he made hys humble submission."! 
 
 Among the articles sent by the Irish Council to 
 England against the Lord Deputy, Lord Graney, 
 was, that he quartered his soldiers on Rathangan and 
 other royal towns without payment. § 
 
 Among the accusations against Gerald the eleventh 
 Earl, and in consequence of which he was sent pri- 
 soner to England, in 1575, are, that he had confer- 
 ences with Kedagh O'Connor, a noted rebel, both 
 before and after the latter had plundered Walter 
 Stanihurst in 1573. And Hubert MThomas, a fol- 
 lower of O'Connor, confessed that Kedagh O'Connor, 
 
 * State Papers, ii. 446. 
 X lb. 560. 
 
 f lb 490. 
 § lb. iii. 42. 
 
8 
 
 RATHANGAN. 
 
 also a rebel, took a hawk from Mr. Colley, and sent 
 it by him to the Earl at Eathangan. The night be- 
 fore he delivered the hawk, Hubert slept at the house 
 of Connor O'Hevrin in " Loughballywhogan" near 
 Eathangan. Towards the next evening he went to 
 Eathangan, and in a lane leading to it he met Kedagh, 
 Phelim O'Connor, one of his followers, and James 
 Hickey the Earl's " harbinger." All four then went 
 towards Eathangan. Kedagh and Phelim supped in 
 a house in the town, and Hubert and Hickey went 
 to Hickey's chamber beyond the bridge. In the 
 morning they went to the Earl's castle, and as they 
 entered the gate Hickey turned to Hubert and said : 
 " Say the hawk is from Morice M'Water owt of Shil- 
 lela." After waiting some time Hickey came from 
 the Earl and " willed Thomas Enos, the falconer, to 
 receave the Hawke."* That in the spring of 1574 
 the Earl sent for Teag M'Gilpatrick O'Connor, an 
 open rebel, to meet him at Eathangan, and having 
 ordered all to leave the room, except William Bir- 
 mingham of " Logfey," he " took a booke and swore 
 the sayde Teag that whether it was warre or peace 
 he should be at his commandement." At Whitsun- 
 tide, 1574, Kedagh O'Connor, with twenty horse, 
 after plundering Birmingham's country, was passing 
 by a ford, called Belathlyne, near Eathangan, when 
 
 * State Papers, MS. 
 
RATHANGAN. 
 
 
 
 the Earl, who was riding, seeing them, sent his ser- 
 vant, James Hickey, to inquire who they were. On 
 his return the Earl went to meet Kedagh and had a 
 long conference with him. Kedagh on returning to 
 his followers told them that the Earl had asked him 
 " whose garrons those were," and on his replying, 
 " They were garrons which he had for the long day" 
 the Earl said, " It was needful for to have them so."* 
 When the Earl was arrested in Dublin on the 8th 
 May, 1575, and imprisoned in the Castle, the Lord 
 Keeper (the Archbishop of Dublin) and the Treasurer 
 (Sir Edward Fitton) went to Eathangan, escorted by 
 Captains Harington and Deering, and their troops, to 
 arrest the Earl's sons. On the 12th May the Lord 
 Deputy, the L. Keeper and the Treasurer wrote to 
 Lord Burghley : " We the Keeper of the Great Seal 
 and the Treasurer returned from the Erles howse of 
 Rathangan and brought with us the Erles 2 eldest 
 sonnes, whome we fownde there, and since that his 
 youngest (whome we sent a company of Harington's 
 bande for, where he was at nurse) is come also. His 
 howses and all things in them we have put upon safe 
 stay and inventory." The name of the foster- 
 father of the youngest child was Garret M'Patrick 
 O'Connor. On the 15th they wrote that though 
 they had arrived suddenly at Rathangan, unaccount- 
 
 * State Papers, MS. 
 
10 
 
 RATHANGAN. 
 
 able rumours had preceded them, and consequently 
 they had found there much less money than they 
 expected, and no documents of importance.* 
 
 In his examination on the 8th December the Earl 
 denied that he had ever seen Kedagh O'Connor to 
 his knowledge, or had any communication with the 
 O'Connors, except such as was lawful. James 
 Hickey, the Earl's harbinger also being examined, 
 denied that he had ever brought any of the O'Connors 
 to the outer gate of Rathangan ; but stated that he 
 had met Kedagh, who was asking for food at the 
 Vicar's house, and on it being refused him, Hickey 
 took him and his band of thirty kerne to an ale- 
 house ; and when Kedagh wanted to plunder the 
 Vicar in revenge for his refusal, he dissuaded him 
 from doing so. He also stated that a boy, who 
 brought a hawk from Maurice Fitzgerald to the Earl, 
 lodged at his house about that time.f 
 
 The manor of Rathangan having been part of the 
 dower of the widow of Henry, twelfth Earl of Kil- 
 dare, the castle appears to have fallen to ruin. 
 
 In 1744 a lease for ever of Rathangan and 929 
 Irish acres, was made to Mr. Boyle Spencer. He 
 built Rathangan House, and having pulled down 
 the ruins of the castle, he built near its site the house 
 
 * State Tapers, MS. 
 
 f State Papers, MS. 
 
RATHANGAN. 
 
 11 
 
 afterwards occupied by his great-grandson the Hon. 
 George P. Colley. 
 
 When the rebellion broke out in May, 1798, 
 Rathangan was attacked by the insurgents under 
 " Captain" Doorly of Lullymore, an island in the 
 bog of Allen, about four miles from the town. The 
 garrison consisted of a corps of yeomantry under the 
 command of Captain James Spencer, agent to the 
 Duke of Leinster, and half a company of the North 
 Cork Militia. These, after some resistence, having 
 evacuated the town and retreated to Philipstown, the 
 insurgents planted a " tree of liberty" in the streets, 
 and formed barricades of carts and barrels. Some of 
 them then went to Rathangan House, where they mur- 
 dered Mr. Spencer. They were however soon after- 
 wards attacked by the Black Horse and the South 
 Cork Militia, with a field piece, and though they 
 defended themselves for some time by firing from the 
 barricades and windows, they were forced to retreat 
 to the bog, where they dispersed. 
 
 Mr. Spencer's eldest co-heiress, Esther, married the 
 sixth Viscount Harberton, who made Rathangan 
 House his principal residence, as did his son the 
 fifth Viscount, until he sold the lease of the property 
 to the Duke of Leinster in 1858. 
 
CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 The ancient name of Castledermot, or Tristledermot, 
 as it was also sometimes called, was Disert Diarmada, 
 t. e., St. Dermot's Hermitage. This Saint was son of 
 Aedh Roin. He erected a monastery there about 
 a.d. 500, on the site probably of the present church, 
 to which is attached the round tower. His festival 
 is on the 21st June. 
 
 Castledermot was the principal town of Hy Mui- 
 readhaigh or O'Murthy, a territory which comprised 
 the southern part of Kildare, including the Baronies 
 of Kilkea and Moone, Narragh and Rheban, and part 
 of Connell. 
 
 The following notices are taken from the Annals 
 of the Four Masters. 
 
 Age of Christ, 841. The plundering of Disert 
 Diarmada by the foreigners of Cael-Uisge (Narrow 
 Water in co. Down). 
 
 842. Cumsadh, son of Derero, and Maelnach, son 
 
14 
 
 CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 of Sadchadach, who were both Bishops and Ancho- 
 rites, died in one night at Disert Diarmada. 
 
 867. Eodois, son of Doughal, suffered martyrdom 
 from the foreigners at Disert Diarmada. 
 
 885. Sneidhias, wise man of Disert Diarmada, tutor 
 of Cormac, son of Cuileanan, died. 
 
 (In 903 was fought the battle of Ballaghmoon, 
 about three miles from Castledermot, when Cormac 
 M'Cuileanan, King of Munster and Bishop of Cashel, 
 was slain. He was buried at Castledermot, where 
 one of the stone crosses may perhaps have been 
 erected to commemorate the spot. The field of 
 battle and the stone on which the King's head was 
 cut off by a common soldier, Fiach Ua Ugfaden, of 
 Denlis, is still pointed out.) 
 
 1037. Dun chad, son of Dunlaing, King of Leinster, 
 was taken prisoner at Disert Diarmada, and blinded 
 by Donnchad M'Gillaphadraig ; and he died imme- 
 diately after. 
 
 1 038. Ua Gabhaidh, distinguished Bishop of Disert 
 Diarmada died. 
 
 1040. Disert Diarmada plundered by Diarmaid, 
 son of Mael-na-mbo, Lord of Ui Ceinnsealaigh ; and 
 he carried away many prisoners from the oratory. 
 
 1042. Mae Raith, son of Gorman, son of Freasach, 
 Lord of Ui Bairrche, and his wife, were slain at 
 Disert Diarmada by the Ui Ballain. 
 
CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 15 
 
 At the time of the English invasion, 1169, the 
 territory of Hy Muireadhaigh, was occupied by the 
 O'Tooles, who had their great rath or fort on the 
 hill of Mallaghreelan, to the north of Castledermot, 
 and who were driven from it and forced to take 
 refuge in the fastnesses of Wicklow. 
 
 In 1182, Hugh de Lacy erected a castle at Castle- 
 dermot. 
 
 In 1200, the town and manor were granted by 
 King John, with other estates, to Walter de Ridles- 
 ford, Baron of Bray, who founded a Priory or Hospital 
 for Croached Friars outside the town walls.* A tower 
 of this monastery still exists, of which, however, 
 tradition assigns the erection to the Knights of St. 
 John.f 
 
 Emelina, only daughter and heiress of de Ridles- 
 ford, married Sir Stephen de Longespie, Lord Justice 
 of Ireland, who died in 1260, leaving the manors of 
 Castledermot and Kilkea to his daughter Emelina, 
 wife of Maurice, 3rd Baron of Offaly. 
 
 In 1264, in consequence of a feud between the 
 Geraldines, and de Burghs, the Baron of Offaly, at a 
 meeting held in the church of Castledermot to discuss 
 their differences, w T ith his nephew, John FitzThomas, 
 afterwards 1st Earl of Kildare, arrested Richard de 
 
 * Ware. 
 
 t Archdale's Monasticon, p. 189. 
 
L6 
 
 CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 Capella, the Lord Justice, Richard de Burgh, son 
 and heir of the Earl of Ulster, Theobald Butler, 
 John Cogan, and other adherents of the de Burghs, 
 and confined them in his castles of Lea and Duna- 
 mase. 
 
 In 1276 a parliament was held in Castledermot. 
 
 In 1295 aid was granted by parliament to enclose 
 the town with walls. The remains of a great part of 
 this wall may still be traced. 
 
 Towards the end of the thirteenth century, a 
 Franciscan Monastery* was founded by Thomas 
 FitzMaurice, father of the 1st Earl of Kildare, of 
 which the ruins still exist. 
 
 In 1315, Edward Bruce took possession of the 
 town, but in 1316, the Irish, who were marching to 
 join his forces, having been defeated, he abandoned 
 it, having sacked it and plundered the monasteries 
 of their books, vestments, and church ornaments.f 
 
 In 1328 a chapel dedicated to St. Mary was added 
 to the Abbey church by Thomas 2nd Earl of 
 Kildare. 
 
 In 1377 a parliament was held, and a mint estab- 
 lished at Tristledermot. 
 
 In 1405, M'iMurrogh waged war with the English, 
 during which Contae Regh (Wexford) together with 
 
 Monas. Hib., 312. 
 
 t Grace's An. 
 
CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 17 
 
 Carlow and Disert Diarmada, were plundered and 
 burnt.* 
 
 In 1408, the Lord Deputy, Lord Scrope, died at 
 Castledermot of the plague.f 
 
 In 1414, the O'Mores and O'Dempseys, having 
 invaded the Pale, the Lord Justice, Thomas Cranley, 
 Archbishop of Dublin, marched against them, and 
 having reached Castledermot, sent forward his troops 
 against the enemy, who were encamped at Kilkea, 
 while he went in procession with his clergy to the 
 church and celebrated high mass during the conflict, 
 in which his forces gained a complete victory.^ 
 
 In 1484, Gerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, held in 
 Dublin a parliament, which granted him a subsidy 
 towards the erection of a castle at Tristledermot. 
 
 In 1496, and again in 1499 the Earl, as Lord 
 Deputy, held parliaments in the town. The present 
 Petty Sessions Court-house is said to stand on the 
 site of the castle and parliament house, in which a 
 mint was established in 1499. 
 
 In 1532 Gerald, ninth Earl, allowed his followers 
 to plunder the King's subjects u at the fair of Tristel- 
 dermot, crying havocke upon the King's subjects, 
 which thither were resorted, caused them in his own 
 
 * Annals of the Four Masters. f Dowling's Annals. 
 
 X Holinshed. 
 
 B 
 
18 
 
 CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 presence to be spoiled and robbed of their goods, and 
 divers of them murdred most cruelly and tray- 
 terously."* 
 
 In 1534 among the castles belonging to the Earl 
 Kildare are mentioned "the castell and wallyd town 
 of Tristeldermot.f 
 
 During the rebellion of " Silken Thomas" Castle- 
 mermot was garrisoned for three weeks in 1534, by 
 some of the Irish allies of Lord Offaly, while he was 
 beseiging Dublin. { In September of that year how- 
 ever it was taken and occupied in the king's name by 
 the Earl of Ossory.§ 
 
 In 1537 it was proposed to form a strong garrison 
 there, " Casteldermot being walled alreidye."|| 
 
 Among the articles against Lord Graney, late Lord 
 Deputy, forwarded to England by the Irish Council, 
 was one for quartering his soldiers on " Castellder- 
 mot."f 
 
 After the dissolution of the monasteries, the Fran- 
 ciscan Abbey and lands were granted to Sir Henry 
 Harington, and the Hospital and lands of St. John's 
 to the ancestors of the Archbold family. 
 
 In 1552 Castledermot, which had been forfeited to 
 
 * Act of Attainder of the Earl of Kildare and others, 1536. 
 
 f State Papers, ii. 1 84. 
 
 X lb. 251. § lb. 
 
 || lb ii. 413. f lb. iii. 42. 
 
CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 19 
 
 the crown, was restored with other estates to Gerald, 
 eleventh Earl of Kildare. 
 
 In 1641, on the breaking out of the civil war, 
 George, sixteenth Earl, as Governor of the County 
 Kildare, appointed his distant cousin, Pierce Fitz- 
 Gerald* of Bally shannon, as Captain of the southern 
 district, to command the garrison of Castledermot. 
 For that purpose he was furnished out of the royal 
 stores, with arms and ammunition for one hundred 
 men. Having procured a warrant from the Earl to 
 the Rev. John Walsh to deliver to him the castle, he 
 in December seized all Mr. Walsh's property, which 
 was within or outside the castle, and carrying it off 
 as booty, joined the army of the Catholic Confedera- 
 tion at Kilkenny, and was there appointed Colonel of 
 a regiment. 
 
 Castledermot was then alternately in the hands of 
 the opposite parties. In 1 644 M. de la Boullaye le 
 Gouz, a French traveller slept there and calls it 
 " Castle Dairmon, a little village under the dominion 
 of the Catholics." 
 
 In 1650 "Dermot's Castle'' was taken by the Par- 
 liamentary forces under' Colonels Reynolds and Hew- 
 son, and its walls dismantled, f 
 
 In 1674 John, eighteenth Earl of Kildare, obtain- 
 
 * He had served in Flanders in the regt. of Owen Roe O'Neill, 
 t Borlace's History of the Rebellion, p. 255. 
 
 b 2 
 
20- 
 
 CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 ed from Charles II. a grant to have a weekly market 
 and two annual fairs in the town. 
 
 In 1690 after the battle of the Boyne the army of 
 William III. on their march to Limerick reached 
 Castledermot on the 14th August. The king him- 
 self slept at Belan, the house of Mr. Ed. Stratford, 
 ancestor of the Earl of Aldborough. There he re- 
 ceived the news of the defeat of his fleet by the 
 French off Beachy Head. 
 
 Story, in his Impartial History, p. 107, says : 
 " From Timalin we marched to Castle-Dermot, where 
 there stood in old time two or three Eeligious Houses, 
 the ruins of which as yet remain ; one of these was of 
 the Fryars Minors, sackt and plundered by the Scots 
 under Bruce, in the year 1316. In which year the 
 Irish were here also overthrown by Edward Bottilar 
 (or Butler) Lord Justice of Ireland. Here the king 
 received some packets from England, giving him a 
 further account of his fleet, and sea affairs, which 
 was easily understood not to be very grateful, and as 
 is supposed was the occasion of our slow marches. 
 Several Protestants every day came to the camp, all 
 expressing their great joy and satisfaction for his 
 
 Majesty's presence and their deliverance 
 
 The army rested a day at Castledermot, and the next 
 day marched beyond Carlow." 
 
 In 1734 a charter school was founded at Castle- 
 
CASTLEDERMOT. 
 
 21 
 
 dermot ; the site and a portion of the funds being 
 provided by Robert, nineteenth Earl of Kildare. It 
 was the first erected in Ireland. 
 
 In 1798 a large force of insurgents from Kildare 
 and Wicklow, who were marching against Carlow, 
 made an attempt to occupy Castledermot, but were 
 repulsed by a company of the 6th regiment, who 
 were quartered there, under the command of Captain 
 Mince. 
 
 The antiquities of Castledermot consist of the 
 round tower attached to the church, and in the 
 church-yard two stone crosses, a tomb stone appa- 
 rently of an abbot, and another with a curious circu- 
 lar perforation ; the ruins of the Franciscan abbey ; 
 a tower of the Priory of Crouched Friars ; and the 
 remains of the walls, and of a small portion of the 
 Tullow gate. 
 
WOODSTOCK CASTLE 
 
 AND 
 
 WHITE CASTLE OF ATHY. 
 
 Woodstock Castle was built about the year 1190 by 
 Richard de St. Michael, Baron of Rheban, to defend 
 an important ford over the Barrow, near Athy. His 
 only child, Rohesia, heiress of Athy and Woodstock, 
 married Thomas Fitz-Maurice, and had an only son, 
 John, created Earl of Kildare. 
 
 There is a tradition that this John Fitz-Thomas, 
 while he was an infant, was in the castle when there 
 was an alarm of fire. In the confusion that ensued 
 the child was forgotten, and when the servant return- 
 ed to seek him, the room in which he lay was found in 
 ruins. While they were lamenting his supposed death 
 they heard a strange noise proceeding from the top of 
 one of the towers ; on looking up they saw a monkey 
 or ape, which was usually kept chained, carefully 
 holding the child in its arms. The Earl afterwards, 
 
24 
 
 WHITE CASTLE OF ATHY. 
 
 in gratitude for his preservation, adopted the monkey 
 for his crest and supporters, and some of his descend- 
 ants took the additional motto of " Non immemor 
 beneficii." 
 
 In 1500 Gerald, eighth Earl of Kildare, erected 
 the castle called the White Castle, on the opposite or 
 east bank of the river, to defend the bridge of Athy. 
 
 In 1534 these two castles, which had been strongly 
 garrisoned by Thomas, tenth Earl, at the time of his 
 rebellion, were taken by the Earl of Ossory, but 
 were soon retaken by the Earl of Kildare, as, in 
 February, 1535, John Allen, the Master of the Rolls, 
 in a letter in the State Paper Office, recommends the 
 taking of the " Bridge of Athie ;"* and in another 
 letter it is mentioned that in the preceding Septem- 
 ber " Athye" had been occupied by the Irish allies 
 of the Earl.f These castles were retaken, but appear 
 to have suffered much in these various assaults, as in 
 July, 1536, " My Lord Deputie went, according to 
 the conclusion of the Counsaile, to the reedifyeng and 
 fortifieng of the manour of Wudstocke, and the bridge 
 of Athie."| And on the 25th of the same month the 
 Council state that they have left the " Thesaurer of 
 Warres"§ for " the contynueng of the woorks at the 
 Bridge of Athy and Woodstock."|| 
 
 * State Papers, ii. 228. f Ik. 251. J lb. 345. 
 § Sir W. Brabazon. || State Papers, ii. 350. 
 
WHITE CASTLE OF ATHY. 
 
 25 
 
 In a " Memorial for the winning of Leynster," for- 
 warded by the Council of Ireland to the King in 
 1537, it is proposed that to the younger brothers of 
 good English families should be assigned forfeited 
 lands. . As, to " Annother Woodstocke, with the 
 Barony of Rheban."* And in the same year Robert 
 Cowley recommends that among the border castles to 
 be assigned to " suche as are marchers, men of warre, 
 having good retynues," should be " Fassah Reban" 
 and " Wodstocke."t 
 
 John Allen soon after recommended that when a 
 parley was held by the Lord Deputy with any of the 
 Irish chiefs, he should reside in one of the border 
 castles. " If with O'More in Athie."^ 
 
 In 1554 the two castles, with the manors attached 
 to them, were restored to Gerald, eleventh Earl of 
 Kildare. 
 
 In May, 1599, John Dymmok, in his Treatise of 
 Ireland, § wrote : "This night the army lodged a 
 myle from Athye, which hath beene a great markett 
 towne, but brought by these late wars into the state 
 of a pore village. Athie is divided into two partes 
 by the ryver of Barrow, over the which lyeth a stone 
 bridge, and upon yt a castle accupied by James Fitz- 
 
 * State Papers, ii. 414. 
 
 t lb. 446. t lb. 490. 
 
 § Irish Arch. Society's Tracts, voL ii. p. 31. 
 
 C 
 
26 
 
 WOODSTOCK CASTLE AND 
 
 pierce, a gentleman of the famylie of the Geraldines, 
 who, so soone as our army approached the castle, 
 yeelded himselfe to the mercy of the Lord Lieutenant 
 
 (Earl of Essex) The Lord Lieutenant 
 
 havinge put a guard in the castle of Athye, passed 
 his forces over the Barrow by the bridge of the cas- 
 tle, which ryver being not other wyse fordable but 
 with difficultie, and the bridg thereof the onely waye 
 which leadeth into the Queene's county, the import- 
 ance of this enterprize easily appeareth (without any 
 amplify cation) unto every ignorant sence. At Wood- 
 stocke (a village scituate upon the Barrow) his Lord- 
 ship expected victualls a daye or two for the reliefe 
 
 of Maryburge Durynge the tyme that 
 
 our army incamped at Woodstock, the rebels at- 
 tempted the stealinge of some of our horses, which 
 being perceived by Sir Christopher Sentlaurence 
 (sonne to the Lord of Hoth), he passed the ryver 
 naked, and beinge followed by his men, reskewed the 
 praye and returned with the heade of a rebel 1. About 
 the same tyme the rebells presented themselves 200 
 stronge to the sight of the castle of Eheban, distant 
 a myle from Woodstok, where a parte of the army 
 then laye, but upon sight of the Erie of Southamp- 
 ton, who hasted towards them in most soldier lyke 
 order, with a small troope of horse and foote, they 
 retyred themselves to their boggs and from thence to 
 
WHITE CASTLE OF ATHY. 
 
 27 
 
 their woods. As soone as the Lord Lieutenant was 
 provided of vittels, he marched with his army to- 
 warde the forte of Maryborow in the Queene's 
 countye." 
 
 In 1642, during the civil wars, "Woodstock and 
 Athy were taken by the Catholics, but were soon 
 retaken by the Marquis of Ormonde. 
 
 In 1647 they were again surprized by Owen Eoe 
 O'Neill, who put the garrison to the sword ; and were 
 again retaken by Lord Inchiquin. 
 
 In 1648 the Catholics under Colonel Preston again 
 beseiged and took them, but Colonels Reynolds and 
 Hewson, the Parliamentary commanders, retook them 
 in 1650. 
 
 Since that time Woodstock Castle has been unin- 
 habited and is now a ruin. 
 
 The White Castle was subsequently used as a 
 county prison, and is at present occupied as a police 
 barrack. 
 
: % 
 
BOSTON 
 
 COLLEGE 
 
 
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 111! !! 
 
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 NOT CIRCULAR 
 
Kaihangan, Castledermot ; A thy 
 
 DA995 .R23 
 
 Boston College Libraries 
 
 [17] rathangancastledOOunse 
 
 Jan 28 9014