Dún Dealgan

Historically, Dún Dealgan was a motte and bailey built around the late 12^th century by the Norman de Verdun family. The castle built on top of it was a much later addition, around 1780, by the pirate Patrick Byrne, now known as ‘Byrne’s Folly’.

Bertram de Verdun accompanied King Henry II’s son, John, to Ireland, and was granted land in both Louth and Armagh by John.

Patrick Byrne was known to refer to himself as the Earl of Castletown, and there are many folkloric stories attached to his name. One account, recorded on Dúchas, claims that Byrne would light up his castle, causing nearby ships to assume it was the bay. Upon landing near the castle, Byrne and his men would attack and loot the ships.

Another account claims that some of his money from pirating is hidden in a cave under the castle.

Mythologically, Dún Dealgan is hailed as the birthplace of the legendary hero Cú Chulainn, from the Ulster Cycle. Known as ‘The Fort of Dealga’ it is said that the site was named after a Firbolg chieftan, Dealga, who was credited with its construction, before Cú Chulainn’s time.

One account claims that the nearby standing stone marks the burial place of the hero, while another refers to the stone as ‘Lia Lingadon’ or ‘Herd of the Cows of Dictoire’, named after Cú Chulaninn’s mother Dechtire.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014