Puck's Castle

Puck's Castle is a castle ruin in Rathmichael, County Dublin, Ireland. The castle is thought to have been erected by Peter Talbot in 1537, along with nearby castles on the Pale, to defend from the incursions of the O'Toole clan.[1] The name 'Puck's Castle' is derived from the Celtic folklore spirit the 'Púca', which lends itself to local legend that the castle is haunted.[2][3]

Puck's Castle
Puck's Castle from the outside
LocationPuck's Castle Lane, Rathmichael, County Dublin, Ireland
Coordinates53°08′00″N 6°05′34″W
Elevation134 metres (440 feet)
Builtc. 1537
Puck's Castle is located in Ireland
Puck's Castle
Location of Puck's Castle in Ireland

History

In 1690, Puck's Castle allegedly provided refuge for King James II and members of his fleeing army after his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne.[4]

In June 1867 the daughter of a local Englishman, Jane Eleanor Sherrard, disappeared near the castle after she went out to pick flowers for her dinner-table. Though the police began a widespread search for her, she was never found. The last known sighting of her was by a local postman, who claimed to have seen her picking flowers outside the castle.[5]

Building

Puck's Castle is a 3-storey fortified tower.[2] It's roughly 10 metres in length, 7 metres in width, and has a height of 9 metres at the northwest corner. The entrance doorway is in the west wall.[3] Inside the castle is a stone stairwell leading to the first floor[6] and evidence of a fireplace,[4] although much of how the castle may have looked before falling into disrepair is unknown.

See also

Media related to Puck's Castle, Dublin at Wikimedia Commons

References
  1. Ball, Francis Erlington. A History of the County Dublin. p. 87.
  2. "Le Puck's Castle - Irish Castle • Go to Ireland.com". www.go-to-ireland.com. 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  3. "Puck's". www.irishstones.org. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  4. "Puck's Castle". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  5. emmet (2014-07-10). "Puck's Castle, Shankill. County Dublin 1500 - CURIOUS IRELAND". curiousireland.ie. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  6. Pucks Castle, brief history & photos Archived 14 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
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