The Point, Castle Bourke, Gillespie’s Island

WHEN I was a youngster and living in Marian Row in Castlebar, our playground was around Lough Lannagh, writes Tom Gillespie.

I have written about our exploits at the diving board side of the lake where we spent hours swimming and lying in the sun. We were competent swimmers then and thought nothing of swimming to Gillespie’s Island, over which the new bridge now stands, on the Lough Lannagh loop.

From there we would continue our swim to The Point, below the new playground, and then make our way back to the diving board. There was a nice swimming spot at The Point. We often walked there along a path over stiles in the fields on the now St. Gerald’s College side of the river.

Or we would go to the top of Blackfort and down what we called the Castle Boreen, which comes out at the ruins of an old castle.

I am a regular walker on the Lough Lannagh loop and pass the ruined ivy-covered castle nearly every day.

I thought I might find out some of the history surrounding the castle. To the rescue my old school pal, Eamon Bourke of De Burca Rare Books, a native of Mountgordon.

Eamonn is recognised internationally as an authority on the history of the De Burcas.

Some years ago he wrote an article on the castle for the Castlebar Parish Magazine. It was headed ‘An old formerly fortified building’ and Eamonn wrote: Such was the description given by Thomas Lacy during his tour of the west in the summer of 1854 when he visited the Castlebar area and the old castle on the shores of Lough Lannagh.

The building in question was Bourke Castle and the latter part of the description is incorrect as the castle was never completed or lived in.

The ivy-covered ruins can still be seen adjacent to the north-west shore of Lough Lannagh on the outskirts of Castlebar.

The castle was built around 1580 by a son of Edmond Bourke of Castlebar. This Edmond, as Tanaiste, should have succeeded to the chieftaincy of the Mayo Bourkes with the title of the ‘Mac William Lochtar’ on the death in September 1585 of Richard Mac Oliver Bourke.

However, the Governor of Connaught, Sir Richard Bingham, had different ideas and he set up Sir Shane Bourke’s nephew, William, as chief.

One reason for Bingham’s choice was that William Bourke was thought to be more dependable from the crown point of view.

The result was the Bourkes of Castlebar, Carra and Kilmaine, the Owles with the blood relations, The Gibbons’, Jennings’, Mac Walters and Mac Nicholas’, with their allies the Joyces, Mac Donagls’ and O’Maleys, went into rebellion.

The outcome was disastrous for the Mayo Bourkes and this allies. Edmond of Castlebar, the senior, was captured and hanged - even through he was an old man, over 80 years of age, had only one leg and had to be carried to the scaffold.

Most other leaders met with a similar fate. Edmond’s estate was confiscated and passed onto the crown.

His sons continued their resistance. They were David na gCapall, Oliver, Walter, William, Edmond, and Richard, who was known as demon of the reaping hook, or Devil’s hook.

They demanded their father’s estate back, but to no avail. So they joined a band of Scottish mercenaries who came to Ulster and were nearing Lough Erne.

Bingham, with Sir Thomas L’Estrange, Mr. Barkley and Ulick Bourke, Third Earl of Clanrickard - a cousin of the Mayo Bourkes - met the Bourkes and the Scots in a field near Ardnaree, where the latter were completely and utterly defeated.

Oliver and Edmond Bourke along with 1,500 Scots men, women and children were slain or drowned in the River Moy.

The surviving sons of Edmond flew into the Low Countries, fighting against the English under Captain Stanley who had deserted the British Army.

This would account for the castle never being completed.

Three years later, in 1589, Sir Richard Bingham’s brother, Captain John, a direct ancestor of the present day missing Lord Lucan, bought Edmond’s estate for 100 cows and the rent of £5 per annum, unpaid since 1586, from the government.

Local legend has it that the beautiful Bourke ladies lived in the castle to the other side of the lake. Both can be discounted, although there is a certain amount of truth in the former.

There were in fact three beautiful ladies, but almost 150 year later.

They were granddaughters of Theobald Bourke, Sixth Viscount of Mayo, by his daughter, Bridget, who was married to Barnaby Gunning Esq., of Castlecoote, Co. Roscommon, in 1731.

They were Maria, Elizabeth and Catherine.

It can be safely concluded that these eminent ladies never lived in the unfinished castle, taking into consideration the fact that they were born and reared in Co. Roscommon, 50 miles away.

I do recall there was a narrow, hidden underwater stone walkway leading to Gillespie’s Island from the shore near the castle. But when it was constructed I don’t know.

Likewise, there was rumours of a tunnel from the castle to the hidden walkway.

So when you are next enjoying the Lough Lannagh loop stop at the ruined castle and savour a bit of local history.