On this day 1921: Dromagh Castle was burned down

Dromagh Castle in sunshine

On the night of March 9th 1921, Millstreet IRA Battalion Column were involved in the burning and destruction of the 16th century Dromagh Castle, which was being prepared for occupation by Auxiliaries.

The castle was previously the seat of the O’Keeffe Clan who ruled the area.

Read about more of the activities at the time.

 

 

10 thoughts on “On this day 1921: Dromagh Castle was burned down”

  1. I’m visiting Ireland for the first time in April (from Hannibal, MO). Is it possible to visit the ruins of Dromagh Castle? If so, how do I get there?

  2. Well im an O’keeffe family member and if im being honest i dont think u can visit the castle as on google maps it dose not even exist sorry

    1. Hi Annie,
      The remains of Dromagh Castle being the surrounding walls and battlements are below on google maps … but you are right, the castle itself stood in the centre of the present courtyard and no longer exists … and there was a moat between the surrounding walls and the castle itself, and another moat outside the walls.

  3. Hello, I am an O’Keeffe descendant and I am very much interested in visiting Dromagh Castle during my time in Ireland. I am flying into Cork in a few weeks. I understand that the castle is privately owned, can someone get in touch if there is a contact?

    1. Hi folks,
      Yes, you can visit the Dromagh castle, it is on private grounds. But, thanks to the couple that live right next door to it & own it. They are very accommodating, they normally don’t mind visitors for once they don’t enter in to the castle itself. You can look into it from the castle entrance gates. It is still a site to behold.
      Patsy OKeeffe.

    2. Hi Lauren,
      The website, http://www.okeeffeclans.com have a reply page on it with mail, also the face book page of the okeeffe clan rally 2016. These would put you in contact with people that can organise for you to visit the castle or take you to it. Let us know when you are arriving via email privately. I a pro. for the clan gathering & Morty is our Chairman who is very accommodating when he has free time to take people to historical sites linked to the Okeeffes. We don’t charge any fees, we try to link these visits when we are not working. Patsy okeeffe

      1. I messaged both sites over a year ago about my O’Keeffe line, I was told it was being passed on but I don’t think I got any reply.

        I now have done DNA test and so has my mother, we have a GED kit no.s. Is there anyone with lists of GEDs so I can check if I am connected, one of my uncle’s believes we are connected to the Kilcrea Keeffe’s, but so far I can’t see many O’Keeffe lines who have trees online.

        My email is <email>

        Regards
        Mary Irish Daniels

  4. I love that you have photos of my family castle.
    My father Richard Richard O’Keefe and his wife Barbara Slattery.
    I am Irish and Proud of it!
    God Bless our clan.

  5. Hi my family are the O’Keefe’s, We visited the castle a few years ago, I believe the O’KEEFFE family were a big family many years ago who had a fall out with each other & one part of the family dropped the Extra F’ from the surname from then on.

  6. Hi Carl O’Keefe, I am an O’Keeffe by birth and live in Victoria Australia. My great great great grandfather and his brother travelled from Ireland to Victoria in the first half of the 1800’s. My 3 x great grandfather started a haulage business in northern Victoria, and his brother travelled to Sydney New South Wales and settled there. The story is that the Sydney brother was so frustrated with people spelling his name with only 1 ” f ” that he eventually dropped the second f. However your story is plausible as we are a feisty bunch, the O’Keeffe Clan!

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