Dun An Oir Fort was the site of a historic battle in Ireland. Located on the Dingle Peninsula, close to the village of Ballyferriter, lies a rocky promontory where a castle once stood. Although there’s nothing left of the site today, it’s still worth visiting: a chance to recall the terrible battle that took place here in 1580 (dubbed the “Siege of Smerwick”), when the British crushed the Irish, Spanish and Italians in a bloody battle!
Irish history buffs are in for a treat. The Dun An Oir Fort is far from being a castle or even a historical relic, but it’s still a landmark in Irish history.
Although all historical traces have been swept away by the centuries, the site is nonetheless fascinating.
As a reminder, this small strip of land witnessed a horrific massacre in 1580. It was here, on these lands, close to the ocean, that an army of Spaniards and Italians, who had come to lend a hand to the Irish, were decimated by the English.
At that time, the Irish were trying to free themselves from the British yoke… in vain. After numerous attempts, they managed to mobilize Italian and Spanish soldiers to help them defeat the English.
The foreign soldiers had been sent by Pope Gregory to help the Irish during the second Desmond Geraldine Rebellion in 1580. About 600 strong, they were forced to garrison the promontory fort after their ships were blocked in Smerwick Bay and the mountains.
Unfortunately, it was a terrible battle.
They were quickly surrounded by the English army, then numbering 4,000 men, under the command of Lord Grey!
After several days of battle, the English shone with their superiority and greater combat readiness. Better equipped and better trained, they were quick to assert their military superiority.
Powerless, the Spanish and Italians surrendered, hoping for leniency from the English… But the latter massacred them.
As for the Irish who fought alongside the Italians and Spaniards, they first had all their bones broken… before being hanged the next day!
According to oral tradition, the English didn’t stop there. In the two days following their victory, they reportedly beheaded every enemy soldier except the commanders, and lined up the heads in a nearby field.
As for the bodies, they were thrown into the ocean.
This is why the field of the massacre is known locally as Gort a Ghearradh (the field of the cut), while the field where the heads were buried is called Gort na gCeann (the field of the heads).
A twelve-headed monument has been erected to honor those who were unjustly killed.
Dun An Oir Fort is undoubtedly a place that can be disappointing in its own right… But don’t be fooled by these expanses of grass and tumuli: there’s a lot more to this place than meets the eye!
It will take you back to a terrible battle, where the English acted with the utmost violence…
But you’ll need a bit of imagination to recreate the place as it was in those days.
On the promontory was the fort (destroyed during the battle by heavy artillery bombardment). It was surrounded by a rampart and the approach was defended by a small causeway with a drawbridge for access. There were other defences on the land adjoining the promontory.
The remains of the ground defences consisted of a rampart with a shallow outer moat. At the north and south ends of the rampart were bastions housing defensive cannons.
Nowadays, the only way to get a feel for the place is to take a stroll. The fields seem to carry a strange atmosphere… but are well worth a visit, if only to pay tribute to the soldiers who fell in this battle.
Adresse :
GPS :
Tour duration :
Opening hours :
every day
