Moyry Castle

About

Moyry Castle (from the Irish Maġ Rí or "plain of the king") is a small 17th century castle in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was built during the latter stages of the Nine Years' War in June 1601 by Lord Mountjoy to help secure Moyry Pass and the Gap of the North. It is set in the corner of a small bawn and is a rectangular tower three storeys high. Moyry Castle is a State Care Historic Monument sited in the townland of Carrickbroad, in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area, at grid ref: J0576 1466. The castle is 7.5 miles (12 km) south of Newry town centre, and 5 miles (8 km) north of Dundalk town centre. Moyry Castle, is built on solid rock, It is almost square, 8 metres (26 ft) each way and is three stories high. There are musketry loopholes on each wall except the North facing wall. This wall held the fireplaces which protrude on the outside.

History: From 1601 on this place became known as Ballinemoyree, or Place of the Moyre, and was called "Bother a Mhaighre" in Irish. A captain Anthony Smith, was made constable of the castle and left to guard the pass with twelve men. In the patent rolls in 1606 King James I set aside the following area for the maintenance and...