FOLLOW M3 TO N3 TO R212 IN CAVAN
A short trip by canoe takes you to Clough Oughter Castle which stands like a silent stone watchman in the centre of the peaceful Lough Oughter. The castle sits on a Crannóg – a manmade island – and so is only accessible by water. The beauty of the Castle’s surroundings belies the violence of its history. Possession was fiercely fought over – it went from Normans to Irish, then from one clan to another, until it was confiscated during the Plantation of Ulster, then seized by rebel forces who held it for a decade.
Standing there, you feel the isolation of the last Ulstermen to hold out against Cromwell’s forces. Its crumbling walls are a poignant reminder of an Ireland that was forever changed.
The beauty of the Castle’s surroundings belies the violence of its history. Possession was fiercely fought over – it went from Normans to Irish, then from one clan to another, until it was confiscated during the Plantation of Ulster, then seized by rebel forces who held it for a decade.
Standing there, you feel the isolation of the last Ulstermen to hold out against Cromwell’s forces. Its crumbling walls are a poignant reminder of an Ireland that was forever changed.
