McCarthy
MOR CASTLE (IN THE GROUNDS OF THE LAKE HOTEL) From
the windows of the Lake Hotel can be seen the ruins of a
Medieval Castle built on a rocky promontory within the grounds.
It is situated on the eastern shore of Loch Lein or the
lower lake and gives its name to that portion known as the
Bay of Castlelough. In early times this district was known
as Eoghanacht Loch Lein. The families who ruled there, were
descended from a common ancestor, Eoghan or Owen. Other
branches of the same race ruled various parts of Cork, Limerick
and Tipperary. Their descendants to-day are known by the
family names of McCarthy, O'Sullivan, O'Mahony, O'Keeffe,
O'Donovan and O'Donoghue. The ANGLO NORMAN INVASION During
the year 1152 Turlough O'Connor acting as High King, divided
Munster between Donal O'Brien and Dermod McCarthy, both
to defer to him. Dermod was king of Desmond, or South Munster,
which extended from Lismore, Co. Waterford to Mount Brandon,
Co. Kerry. On arrival of Henry 11 of England at Waterford
in 1172, both these Kings swore allegiance to the King from
overseas. They repented of this act and endeavoured to make
atonement. In the wake of Henry 11 were many land hungry
nobles who were given parchment grants of the land, but
it was many years before the invaders occupied South Kerry.
In 1214 a war broke out between two McCarthy Kinsmen and
Kerry became studded with Anglo-Norman Castles. The Carews
erected that of Artrully near Kilgarvan, the Fitzgeralds,
those of Dunloe and Killorglin, Fitzmaurices at Molahiffe,
and the Roches erected a Castle at Oirbealach. As the Tuath
of Oirbealach extended along the shores of the Lein, it
may be that the Castle on the Lake was first set up by the
Roches. In 1261 and 1262, the McCarthys led an army into
Kerry from West Cork, and killed Gerald Roche. Cormac McCarthy
was himself slain and a cairn on Mangerton marks the spot
where he fell. But henceforth the McCarthys ruled South
Kerry from their three Castles, that of Castlelough (on
the Lake), Pallas and Ballycarbery near Cahirciveen. The
Chief of the McCarthys was known as McCarthy Mor. He was
entitled to rents and services from O'Sullivan Bere, O'Donoghue
Mor, and O'Sullivan Mor and O'Donoghue from Glenflesk and
many lesser McCarthys in cork and Kerry. The annals of Innisfallen
record the death of Donal Og McCarthy, King of the Irish
of Desmond in 1390 at this Castle of Loch Lein and also
that of his son Tadgh in 1428 at his Castle of Ballycarbery.
They say of the latter that of all the wine drinkers of
his time, he was the greatest. The annals of the four masters
relate that in 1517 the sons of another McCarthy chief known
as Cormac Lyrah were expelled from the Castle on the Lake.
In 1565, Queen Elizabeth created Donal McCarthy Mor, Earl
of Glencar. In 1569 he repudiated the Earldom and joined
graces with the Catholic Confederacy of Desmond. When the
Confederacy broke down in 1571 Donal submitted and obtained
a pardon. In 1580, Gerald, the Earl of Desmond, went into
rebellion, and was slain in 1583. Another troop of strangers
entered Kerry on the Authority of parchment grants which
granted them ownership of lands held by the late Earl, on
condition that they planted them with good reliable English
tenants. Hence they were called undertakers, and amongst
them were the Brownes (later to become Earls of Kenmare)
and the Herberts. In about 1588 the Earl of Glencar mortgaged
Castlelough to a Kinsman. Florence was summoned to London
and for a period lodged in the Tower. Lady Ellen was detained
in Cork, and Florence entered into a bond that she would
remain there. However, on a night in February 1580, she
and a maid stole through one of the gates of Cork, just
before closing time, and vanished into the Country beyond.
Sir Warham St. Ledger, the Queens President of Munster,
urged that Florence's bond be forfeited and that the Queen
take over Castlelough. Very little fortification was needed
to make it impregnable. It stood in a great Lough, wherein
vast quantities
of pearls were found. In 1605, Lady Ellen obtained portion
of her fathers lands with reminders to her sons. At the
time has base brother Donal McCarthy got a grant of Castlelough.
He was a doughty warrior with a passion for securing as
trophies the plumed helmet of Elizabeth's troops . He is
known in local tradition as Dan The Feathers. He made such
sport of them that the women were employed in his stronghold
in the making of beds. He died quietly, but not before the
English chivalry had dubbed him "The Robin of Munster".
The Castle must have been transferred at some later date
and it is known that Florence, youngest son of Lady Ellen
was residing there in 1642. This Florence McCarthy, together
with all the other McCarthys, hanged himself in 1642 under
the banner of the Confederation of Kilkenny. The ensuing
war lasted until 1645, when a last stand was made at Ross
Castle, and Castlelough was battered by Cromwellian Troops.
Terms of capitulation were agreed to and the Cromwellian
Wars in Ireland finished on the shores of Lough Lein. When
Charles 11 of England was restored, the Lands of Pallas,
Muckross, Cahernane and Castlelough were restored to Dame
Sarah McCarthy, otherwise McDonnell, a sister of the Marquis
of Antrim. Her son granted Castlelough to his cousin Denis
McCarthy. The Castle remained with his family until the
reign of George 11 when it was sold to Colonel William Crosbie.
The subsequent history of Castlelough is by way of ordinary
purchase and sale. A mansion was erected within view of
the ruined Castle and was purchased by the Lalor family
of Killarney. In 1846, the death is recorded at the residence,
Castlelough House, of Mrs. Martin Lalor on her 90th birthday.
Her grandson, John Shine Lalor, was a poet and intimate
friend of Daniel O'Connell, and was arrested during the
insurrection of 1848. The mansion must have been subsequently
enlarged as the Lake Hotel and in 1852 belonged to a certain
Thomas Cotter. The hotel changed ownership from Cotter to
Coffey, and then to Morrough, Bernard and Courtney. In 1897,
it was purchased by Mr. Hillard of Killarney, in whose hands
it remained until 1940, when it was purchased by Mr. & Mrs.
Huggard of Waterville and became one of their famous family
hotels. In recent years the Hotel has undergone major improvements
while retaining its Old World Style and Charm.
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