NOVEMBER 2005

Moville Historian Seeks Greater Protection for Local Castle

Moville Historian, JJ Keaveny, has urged authorities to take greater care of the ruins of the Norman Castle at Greencastle and insists more should be done to highlight the history of the former fortress. "2005 is almost gone and Greencastle is in danger of letting an important anniversary slip by. It was in 1305 that Northburg Castle was built."

Mr Keaveny, who has lived in Derry for the last 40 years, used to climb the towers in his younger days. He has written and published articles on Inishowen's past and is at present assembling a bundle of essays on the history and nature of the peninsula, which he hopes to publish shortly. Mr Keaveny is critical of the housing developments and claims that fresh deterioration has apparently taken place with stones of the ancient fortress he claims loosened by the use of heavy machinery in recent construction near the site.

"Port Grimaud, in the Bay of St Tropez, doesn't neglect its ruined Norman Castle. Its battered fragments figure prominently and proudly in that affluent region's publicity. Mr Keaveny says that Northburg castle, which has been a ruin since 1555 did enjoy a long existence. It may have been built by the Templar Knights in the 14th century. It's likely that it didn't remain in use for long. Indeed little is recorded of the impact the Normans made on Inishowen."

Mr. Keaveny said the importance of Northburg Castle deserved greater attention as it was one of only two Norman castles between Belfast Lough and Donegal Bay. "The Norman conquest of Ireland left its mark mainly in Munster, Leinster and the east of Conaught. Between Belfast Lough and Donegal Bay only two castles were built. Carrickfergus, ever massive and impressive and Northburg, built by Richard de Burgo, the Red Early of Ulster." The castle ruins were, he said, still impressive but there was a danger that without greater care they would now deteriorate further. "Greencastle, don't add to the work of Calbhach O'Donnell, the Donegal man who smashed the walls of the turrets of Northburg"

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