History

  Dunluce Castle (from Irish Dún Libhse) is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping above the Atlantic Ocean in County Antrim, and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland [1, 2].
  Through the centuries, Dunluce Castle was the seat of the de Burgh, Earls of Ulster, the MacQuillan, Lords of the Route, and the MacDonnell, Earls of Antrim, responsible for the political definition of northern Ulster, especially between the 16th and the 17th centuries [3].
  Probably early Christians and the Vikings founded an early fort on the site [4], however the first castle at Dunluce was built in the 13th century by Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster [1, 2, 4, 5].
  According to documents, it belonged to the McQuillan family in 1513, Lords of Route from the late 13th century (Route or in Irish An Rúta refers to the territory in Gaelic Ireland on the north-east coast of Ulster, extending from the river Bann and the river Bush) [1, 6, 7]. The McQuillans were originally from Scotland and migrated to Ireland in the 13th century [4]. Under the McQuillans, the castle was strengthened with the addition of at least two drum towers, a curtain wall and a gatehouse [3].
  During the 16th century, the castle passed to the MacDonnells, originally from Scotland, rivals of the McQuillans [1, 3, 6]. Perhaps the castle was taken after a battle (the Battle of Slieve-na-Aura) [1, 3, 6] or maybe as a result of a peace between the opposing families, with Evelyn MacQuillan married to Colla MacDonnell [3]. However, when Colla MacDonnell died, Dunluce passed to his younger brother, Sorley Boy MacDonnell [3], probably in 1556 [4, 8], who improved it in the Scottish style [1].
  As the crown was concerned by the growing power of the MacDonnell family in this area, in 1584 Queen Elizabeth I sent Sir John Perrott, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to besiege the castle [7]. After nine months, the castle was finally taken and Sorley Boy’s treasure was plundered [7]. Soon later, Sorley Boy regained the castle and in 1586 swore allegiance to Queen Elizabeth I and his son Randal was made 1st Earl of Antrim by King James I [1, 5, 7].
  The castle was significantly expanded by the MacDonnells [3]. They are said to have used the material and cannons salvaged from the nearby shipwreck of the Spanish Armada’s La Girona, happened in 1588 [8], to have installed the cannons on their Scottish style gatehouse, and to have sold other ship’s goods to fund the expansion of the outer ward onto the mainland and the building of a manor house [3, 4].
  Peace with the English crown was not going to last and in the 1590s the Nine Years’ War started, with the Ulster Gaelic chieftains, including the MacDonnells, rebelling against the Queen [7]. Consequenlty to the Battle of Kinsale, the Irish revolt was put to an end but Randal managed to survive after surrendering [7]. Queen Elizabeth I died in 1602 and was succedeed by King James VI of Scotland, who gave Randal control over much of the Antrim lands and was created Earl of Antrim in 1620 [7].
  During the Irish uprising of 1641, with Randal’s son at Dunluce (also named Randal), the castle was besieged for several weeks by Protestant forces guided by General Robert Monro, Governor of Carrickfergus [2, 7]. Randal was imprisoned a first time: after escaping, he tried to negotiate a ceasefire between English Royalists and Irish Catholic rebels [7]. He was captured again and again he managed to escape, but this time he headed to Kilkenny, where the headquarters of the Catholic Confederacy were located [7]. Most of the castle content was shipped to England by Randall’s wife, to be kept safe, where it was stored till Cromwell’s agents seized and sold it [7]. At last, these events marked the beginning of the end for Dunluce Castle as a political and military stronghold [2].
  After Cromwell, Charles II was restored in 1660 and a few years later Randall regained his estates, occupying Dunluce for a short time, before moving to Ballymagarry and then Glenarm castle, currently being the family seat [7].
  In 1928, Randal, 7th Earl of Antrim, transferred Dunluce to the Northern Ireland Government and since then it is under the state guardianship [3, 7].
  In 2011, major archaeological excavations found significant remains of the “lost town of Dunluce”, built around 1608 by Randall MacDonnell, the first Earl of Antrim, and the son of Sorley Boy MacDonnell, which was razed to the ground in the Irish uprising of 1641 [1]. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is currently taking care of Dunluce Castle [1].
  According to a legend, in 1639, while the MacDonnells were hosting a dinner party, part of the kitchen next to the cliff face collapsed into the sea due to a terrible storm and only a kitchen boy survived, as he was sitting in the corner of the kitchen which did not collapse [1]. One can only imagine the shock on the face of this poor servant… After this the Lady of Dunluce wished to leave for good and the family moved to Ballymagarry Castle [1, 3]. However, as the kitchen appears today intact and next to the manor house, most likely the family moved out due to the turbulent facts during the 17th century [3]. It is instead believed that the north wall actually collapsed into the sea during the 18th century [1, 3].
  Another legend [6, 9] is about Maeve Roe (the ‘Banshee of Dunluce Castle’ [6]), only daughter of Lord McQuillan, who refused to marry her father’s chosen husband, as she was in love with another man, Reginald O’Cahan. For that refusal, she was imprisoned into the castle’s tower till her beloved man tried to rescue her [9]. Unfortunately, the lovers drowned in the waves at the nearby Mermaid’s Cave and since then her soul can be seen keeping watch in the tower and her cries can be heard on stormy nights [9].
  Another lore is about Lady Isobel Shaw, who lived the castle in the 17th century and, deeply in love with a young man not of noble birth, was forbidden by her father to ever see her beloved again [2]. Heartbroken, Lady Isobel locked herself in one of the castle’s chambers till she eventually died of starvation [2]. Her ghost is said to still haunt the castle [2].
  We mentioned that Sorley Boy MacDonnell had an important role in the development and expansion of the castle. What we did not mention was that he temporarily lost the castle in 1584, when the English forces occupied it and the Englishman Peter Carey was placed in control of the castle for about two years [10]. When Queen Elizabeth I granted the castle back to the MacDonnells, Sorley Boy decided to hang Peter Carey from the battlements [10]. The ghost of the Englishman, which can be recognized from his purple cloack and the rope around his neck, is still roaming the South East tower of the castle, where he was executed [10].
  It is also interesting to know how Sorley Boy regained control over the castle, after it was besieged by the English: it was thanks to a comrade inside the castle, who hauled some MacDonnell men up the cliff in a basket [7].
  I am sure the reader is also wondering where is the name “Mermaid’s Cave” coming from. A mermaid lives in the cave and sometimes shows up, to help fishermen [2]. In case the visitor meets her, please be careful as whoever dares to touch her golden comb is said to be cursed and may face a lifetime of misfortune [2].
  Recently, the castle fame increased as it was selected for Game of Thrones and used as Seat of House Greyjoy, the great castle of Pyke [5]. Dunluce Castle was also featured on the cover of the Led Zeppelin’s album “Houses of the Holy”, released in 1973 [4]. Also, Dunluce is said to have been the inspiration for the royal castle of Cair Paravel in The Chronicles of Narnia [11].

References


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Tips

  The magnificent Dunluce Castle! A place where the nature's beauty meets history and where the coastal area provides the most scenic photos.
  The ruins are charming, regardless from which angle you look at them. The dramatic location, the Atlantic Ocean, the sharp cliffs and centuries of history, create the perfect symbiosis for gifting you an amazing day out. As you can tell from the gallery, we were lucky enough to wander around on a sunny day, but I promise that even under the rain, this place won't lose its magic.