Edmund FitzGerald, Knight of the Valley, was restored to most of his estates in 1603, and six years later he appealed to the Lords of the Council against Patrick Crosby obtaining Glin Castle by the King’s letter, on the pretext that it was kept from the Knight to prevent his rebelling. Crosby had undertaken to repair and fortify the fortress at his own cost. The Knight stated he had been pardoned by Lord Mountjoy, that his lands had been restored, and shortly afterwards the castle as well.
The next year Sir Arthur Chichester explains that the building was occupied only by Anthony Arthur, who sold wines in it, and that he had therefore given it to Crosby. He also stated that the Knight’s eldest son was abroad.
In 1681 the castle was in the possession of Major FitzGerald.
The present Glin Castle, seat of Desmond FitzJohn Lloyd FitzGerald, Knight of Glin, is situated about a mile west of the town. Over the yard gate is an engraved stone bearing the following inscription: “Edmond Gerrald, Knight of the Vally. Onnor Cartie, his wife. Fear God always and remember the Poor. I.H.S. Anno Domoni, 1615.”
Pacata Hibernia (Dublin reprint, 1810). J. Dowd, “County of Limerick.” Calendar of State Papers. Parliamentary Gazetteer. Carew MSS. Donovan, “Annals of the Four Masters.” Journal of Thomas Dineley (_Kilkenny Archæological Society’s Journal_).
This castle is situated on the west side of the entrance to Lough Foyle, two and a half miles north-east of Moville, in the Barony of Innishowen.
It was erected upon a rock and defended by two towers which contained the chief apartments, while a third tower defended the northern end.
It is built of green fire stone, from which its present name may have been derived.
In Macator’s map, which was published in 1629, it is marked as “New Castle,” and it is still known in Irish by that name.
Hanmer’s “Chronicle” and Grace’s “Annals” state that Arx Viridis in Ultonia was thrown down in 1260, so that it is likely that the present building, which was erected by Richard de Burgo, the Red Earl of Ulster, in 1305, replaced a former fortress.
In 1332 William de Burgo, or the “Dun Earl,” owned the fortress, which he had inherited from his father, and having taken prisoner Walter, son of Sir Walter de Burgo, he starved him to death in the castle. Sir Arthur Chichester excavated one of the pillars of the dungeon in which it is supposed he was confined, and a mark was discovered that most likely had held a ring to which the prisoner was chained. The “dreary and dismal” prisons are still to be seen.