Dunseverick Castle - Dunseverick, Antrim, Northern Ireland.
N 55° 14.246 W 006° 26.907
29U E 662234 N 6124181
All that remains of Dunseverick Castle is part of the Gatelodge. The castle ruins are Scheduled Historic Monuments. Located near the Giant's Causeway, & the village of Dunseverick in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Waymark Code: WMZEDK
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/29/2018
Views: 1
Dunseverick Castle - Causeway Coastal Route
Historic Marker Inscription:
Dunseverick Castle and its rocky peninsula were given to the National Trust in 1962 by farmer Jack McCurdy.
The term Dun (fort) indicates a royal site. This was the fort of Sobhairce. It may have been a royal stronghold in the Iron Age (around 500 B.C.) and traditionally was one of the great duns of Ireland.
St. Patrick reputedly visited Dunseverick in the 5th Century. The extensive earthworks on the headland may be the remains of the royal fort from which the Antrim kingdom of Dalriada was ruled in the Early Christian period. It was attacked and captured by Vikings in 871 and later destroyed by them in 926.
The ruined 16th century stone tower remains from the period of struggles for supremacy between the main families - the MacDonnells, O'Neills, O'Cahans and MacQuillans.
"Dunseverick Castle is situated in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, near the small village of Dunseverick and the Giant's Causeway. Dunseverick Castle and earthworks are Scheduled Historic Monuments in the townland of Feigh, in Moyle District Council area, at grid ref: C9871 4467.
Dunseverick Castle and the peninsula on which it stands were given to the National Trust in 1962 by local farmer Jack McCurdy. The Causeway Cliff Path also runs past on its way to Dunseverick Harbour to the east and to the Giant's Causeway to the west.
History:
Saint Patrick is recorded as having visited Dunseverick castle in the 5th century AD, where he baptized Olcán, a local man who later became a Bishop of Ireland. The original stone fort that occupied the position was attacked by Viking raiders in 870 AD.
In the later part of the 6th century AD, this was the seat of Fergus Mor MacErc (Fergus the Great). Fergus was King of Dalriada and brother of the High King of Ireland, Murtagh MacErc. It is the AD 500 departure point from Ireland of the Lia Fail or coronation stone. Murtagh loaned it to Fergus for the latter's coronation in western Scotland part of which Fergus had settled as his sea-kingdom expanded.
The O'Cahan family held it from circa 1000 AD to circa 1320 AD, then regained it in the mid 16th century. Last one to have the castle was Giolla Dubh Ó Catháin, who left it in 1657 to settle in the Craig/Lisbellanagroagh area. Post 1660 they use the anglicised name McCain/O'Kane.
The castle was captured and destroyed by General Robert Munro in 1642 and his Cromwellian troops in the 1650s, and today only the ruins of the gatelodge remain. A small residential tower survived until 1978 when it eventually surrendered to the sea below.
It was a 'key' ancient site in Ireland. One of the royal roads from Tara, seat of the Kings of Ireland ended at Dunseverick castle." Text Sources: (
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