History

  Moyry castle is a State Care Historic Monument, well looked after by the Department for Communities [1]. Situated on a rocky outcrop, Moyry castle occupies a strategic position, overlooking the Moyry Pass (Bealach an Mhaighre), also known as the Gap of the North, being an important mountain pass running along Slieve Gullion between Newry and Dundalk [1] and the main direct north-south route in eastern Ireland, connecting Ulster and Leinster [2].
  It is believed [2] that its name derives from Maigh-Rí, meaning “Plain of the King” in Irish, perhaps due to its proximity to Emain Macha, the seat of the High Kings of Ulster.
  It was built in 1601, during the Nine Years’ War (1593-1603), by Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy (simply known as Lord Mountjoy), the ruthless Queen Elizabeth’s Lord Deputy of Ireland, with the purpose of hosting a small English battalion to defend the pass against Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone [2].
  In more detail, till then, Lord Mountjoy and his army were encamped at Dundalk but, after undergoing heavy losses at the hands of the Irish, they managed to take control of the pass [2]. Consequently, Mountjoy moved his army from Dundalk towards Newry and, to enforce the English control on the pass, he decided to start the construction of Moyry Castle [2]. The new stone keep was guarded by Captain Anthony Smith and his garrison [2].
  According to [3], the Confederates garrisoned the castle in 1641 and later, in 1690, while directed to the river Boyne, King William’s army led by Schomberg marched from Belfast through this pass to Dundalk.
  Moyry Castle consists of a small three-storey tower, with an almost square layout (each side is about 8m long) [3] and about 1.2m thick walls [4], with several defensive features enriching its structure, such as gun-loops and a machicolation that can be noticed above the entrance door [1]. The rounded corners of the keep layout represented a quite unusual feature [2]. The upper floors could be accessed using wooden ladders, as there was no staircase [2]. Although it was not intended to be a comfortable accomodation, the upper floors have fireplaces and windows, as it can be easily noticed [1].
A small piece of the bawn wall is also present right outside the castle [1, 2].
  The story of Moyry castle is accompanied by a legend, which has a black cat as the protagonist [3]. While garrisoned by Captain Smith, one of his twelve men shot a local wizard, as he was accused of being a spy [3]. For revenge, the wizard’s cat destroyed the garrison and slit the throats of the army's flocks and herds and carried them off [3].

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Tips

  We visited Moyry castle on a cold and sunny morning of January. The winter landscape and the silence, broken by the noise of our steps on the frost grass, enriched our visit, which was particularly pleasant despite the cold temperatures.
  Moyry is a State Care Historic Monument, well looked after by the Department for Communities. You can drive almost till you find it on your right side. You can pass it and, shortly after, you can find a short term park in front of a nearby house. Now you can walk through a dedicated gate and a small pathway between farms, which will lead you up to the castle. A panel at the entrance will briefly introduce you to the history of the ruin. Don’t forget to take some nice pictures! 😉