School: Garrdha na Cailce (Garnakilla) (roll number 15418)
- Location:
- Garrán na Caoilce, Co. Thiobraid Árann
- Teacher: Séamus Ó Riain
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0543, Page 043
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- XML School: Garrdha na Cailce (Garnakilla)
- XML Page 043
- XML “Gortkelly Castle”
- XML “Eamonn an Chnuich”
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- Andrew Ryan was the man who built Gortkelly Castle. Andrew was a servant to a noted man at the time named Rueben Lee who owned Gurtnaskehy. Rueben was a highway man and a Cromwellian protestant who kept his money hidden in a hole or valley which was then the custom. Rueben used to go to a particular spot every morning of his life. Ryan was watching closely and succeeded in finding the spot where the gold was hidden and stole it. With this money he purchased Gortkelly, Glenbeg and Gortatooda, he also built the castle. It is said that he wet the mortar with sour milk but he died in the poor house afterwards.
- When Ned of the Hill came back from France, it is said that he fought at Limerick and that he was on the run after that. He used be going around the hills of Upperchurch and Hollyford. Once he was stopping at a house in Gurtnaskehy. There was an old woman living in it by herself. She had only one cow and she was going to be taken from her because she could not pay her rent. When the sheriff came to take the cow Ned killed one of his men and there was a price on his head afterwards. One night he was stopping(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Denis Buttler
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 87
- Address
- Knockfune, Co. Thiobraid Árann
