Castle of Athlumney, Co. Meath

Beranger, Gabriel (French draftsman, ca. 1729-1817, active in England and Ireland); Cooper, Austin

Castle of Athlumney, Co. Meath

Date

1992

Authors

Beranger, Gabriel (French draftsman, ca. 1729-1817, active in England and Ireland)

Cooper, Austin

Citation

Beranger's Views of Ireland, Peter Harbison. Dublin, 1992

Description

This drawing was created by Austin Cooper based on the original image by Beranger. 'Inscription on facing page probably by Austin Damer Cooper (1831-1900): Immediately approaching Navan, the river Boyne makes a bold sweep round the foot of the hill from which rise up the ruins of Athlumney Castle, built in the style of the end of the 16th century. This pile consists of a large square keep, with stone arched floors & passages rising into a tower from which is a noble view on a clear day ... its last lord, Sir Launcelot Dowdall, hearing of the issue of the battle of the Boyne, and fearing the approach of King William's victorious army, set fire to the Castle at nightfall and crossing the Boyne sat down upon its opposite bank, from whence as tradition reports, he beheld the last timber in his noble mansion crash amidst the surrounding ruins. All that remained of this Castle and Estate was forfeited in 1700.' (www.nli.ie)