05. An Caisleán

An Caisleán

Tógadh an caisleán idir na blianta A.D. 1237 agus A.D. 1240.

Meiler de Bermingham a rinne é, an fear céanna a bhunaigh Baile Átha an Rí. Tógadh an caisleán lena úsáid mar phríosún, mar theach cúirte agus mar áit cónaithe ag an Tiarna agus ag a theaghlach. Bhí balla agus móta an chaisleáin idir é agus an baile mór a ghabh leis.

Bhíodh an caisleán i rith na meánaoiseanna ina áit cónaithe daingnithe ag daoine mór le rá, an Tiarna nó an Rí mar shampla. Caisleán Angla-Normannach a bhí sa cheann seo.

Thug na hAngla-Normannaigh an móta agus an bábhún adhmaid isteach tar éis Chath Hastings sa bhliain 1066. Nuair nár éirigh go maith leis an gcineál sin, tosaíodh ar a ndéanamh as cloch. B’iondúil móta a bheith le gach caisleán. Bhíodh doimhne 30 troigh agus leithead 12 troigh sa mhóta thart ar Chaisleán Bhaile Átha an Rí. Ón bhfocal Fraincise ‘motte’ a thagann an focal ‘móta’. Nuair a dhéantaí caisleán den chineál “Motte” le dumhcha créafóige thart air á choinneáil suas, líontaí an logán ciorclach thart ar an gcaisleán, ónar baineadh an chréafóg, le hithir.

Ar na hairm a bhíodh in úsáid sa troid i rith ré na meánaoiseanna, bhíodh an claíomh leathan, an claíomh mór, an claíomh gearrtha, an falchion agus an bogha agus saigheada. Bhíodh meirge le gach caisleán; ar na cineálacha a bhíodh coitianta, bhíodh Azure, Gules, Argent.

Bhíodh halla féasta iontu ina gcuirtí cóir ar chuairteoirí agus ar an mbia a bhíodh acu ar na féastaí sin, bhíodh caora fíniúna, beoir agus piasúin chomh maith le caora agus uachtar mar mhilseog.

Sa chás go dtiocfadh caisleán faoi ionsaí in aimsir na meánaoiseanna, théadh na saighdiúirí ar a gcosaint taobh thiar de na cúlbhallaí nó de na ballaí starrachta. Is ar an gcnocán ab airde sa cheantar i gcónaí a thógtaí an caisleán. ­

The Castle

The Castle was built between the years, A.D. 1237 and A.D. 1240.

It was built by Meiler de Bermingham, who also founded Athenry. It was built to be used as a prison, a courthouse and for the Lord and his family to live in. It was separated from its own town by its own wall and a moat.

A medieval castle was a fortified home of an important person such as a Lord or a King. The castle was Anglo Norman.

The Anglo Normans introduced the wooden Mottle & Bailey castles after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but they were not successful so they used stone instead. Each castle usually had a moat. The moat around Athenry Castle was 30 feet deep and 12 feet wide. The word Moat comes from the French Motte because {when} Motte Castles were built with mounds of earth around them, to keep them up. The hollow circle around the castle from where the earth was dug was filled with soil.

Some weapons in medieval battle were the broadsword, the great sword, the cutting sword, the falchion and bows and arrows. Every castle had a banner; typical types of banners were, Azure, Gules, Argent.

They had a banquet hall which was where they entertained their guests, the types of food they served were grapes, ale and pheasants and sometimes berries and cream for dessert.

If a medieval castle was under attack, the soldiers would hide behind the battlements or crenulations. Castles were always built on the highest mound in the area.