“It gives me great pleasure to announce that a spectacular mural of Castleisland Castle is currently underway. This epic mural once completed, will be a remarkable sight to behold,” said Castleisland of the Island Society founder, Robert McGuire reflecting on the rapidly progressing work of art on the banks of the River Maine.
The site of the mural would be well within the all enveloping, ancient walls on the castle in its day and, in spite of a glut of modern day development, it still reigns over all and seems to keep an eye on its former boundaries.
The Thinking Behind the Work and its Meaning
Here Robert Maguire outlines the thinking behind the work and the meaning of the spectacular new addition to where many Castleislanders take the air on their daily walks.
“The artwork aspires to promote a greater local awareness of the castle, while also breathing new life into acknowledging and preserving the history of the castle.
There is no doubt that the imposing mural will also greatly enhance the river walk, by adding a historical and artistic layer to the visitor’s experience.
The artists, Adam and Darren Warren are using their distinctive style and genius, in bringing the artwork to life. Adam and Warren previously painted a spectacular mural in Killarney, near the Glebe public car park.
On a South Facing Wall
The artwork in Castleisland can be seen on an extensive, south-facing wall of the Tomo Burke warehouse wall, along the popular river walk, beside the bridge spanning Barrack Street. This stretch of the river walk was recently upgraded with a new footpath and tree sculpture. The local playground is located opposite the mural.
The wall on which the artwork can be seen, measures 30 meters in length, by five meters in height, likely making it the largest mural in Kerry.
The building on which the mural is depicted, is protected by CCTV cameras and fencing.
As founder of the voluntary group ‘The Castle of the Island Society’, I always believed that a mural dedicated to the castle would be of huge benefit to the local area and community.
The idea originated one evening, while I was strolling along the tranquil banks of the River Maine, opposite the castle.
Bringing the Castle’s History and Legacy to Life
Suddenly, I noticied a long blank wall in front of me. This wall would later become the canvas upon which the artwork would be painted.
Over the course of a few months, I shared my vision with Adam Warren, and so the development of the mural came to life. From the outset, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to capture within the artwork.
Ultimately, my intention was to bring the castle’s history and legacy to life, in a vivid and dramatic way. It was also an opportunity to pay tribute to the role the castle played in the development of the town we recognise today.
Overall, the mural contains several images and symbols associated with the Desmond Fitzgeralds, also known as the Earls of Desmond.
The Earls of Desmond
This illustrious Norman family reigned over Castleisland and beyond, from 1329 to 1583.
The mural also tells the story of a dramatic event that occurred in July 1580. During this time, the last great Earl of Desmond, Gerald Fitzgerald was hiding out in Castleisland Castle.
This was during the Desmond rebellion, a time of great violence and turmoil across Munster, which lasted from 1579 to 1583.
During the summer of 1580, the leaders of the Crown forces in Ireland were gathering intelligence, in a desperate bid to capture the Earl of Desmond and thus bring the rebellion to an end.
This inevitably led to the arrival of Sir William Pelham in Castleisland. Pelham was an English soldier, who also served as Lord Justice of Ireland. In July 1580, Pelham finally discovered the whereabouts of the Earl of Desmond in the manor of Castleisland.
The Ancient and Chiefest House
As a result, the Elizabethan forces, set out to capture him within the ancient walls of the Island fortress.
According to some historical sources, this castle was the ancestral home of the Desmond’s in Kerry. It was described in 1600, by Sir George Carew as “the ancient and chiefest house of the Earls of Desmond”.
The imposing figure of Sir Pelham (based on a surviving portrait) can be seen on the extreme right-hand side of the mural. Alongside Pelham, the Elizabethan army are visible on horseback, yielding flags and weapons.
It is recorded that Pelham and his army crossed the mountains of Slewlougher, before pitching a camp in Kilcushan in Cordal. The party then prepared for their sudden assault on the Island Castle.
A Well Timed Escape
Within the looming walls of the stronghold, Gerald Fitzgerald and his wife Lady Eleanor Butler, as well as a Jesuit priest named Sanders, were oblivious to the imminent danger lurking outside. But destiny prevailed and somehow Desmond managed to escape just in time, before the Crown forces stormed the castle.
The central figure on the mural is the Earl of Desmond, he is depicted valiantly on horseback, fully armoured and ready for battle. Gerald is yielding a sword in one hand, which in the other, he is holding a shield, in defiance against the Crown forces.
Although, Gerald evaded Pelham’s assault in July 1580, he eventually became a fugitive.
In November 1583, the Earl was hiding out in the remote woods of Glounageenty, outside Castleisland.
A Bounty on his Head
With a large bounty on his head, the Earl was eventually apprehended and brutally beheaded. Thus, bringing to a tragic end the illustrious reign of the Earls of Desmond.
Besides, the Earl of Desmond, the other key feature displayed on the mural is the medieval castle.
It is important to note that there were different phases of castle construction and expansion on this site from the 13th century to the 17th century.
In the end, I decided to create a conjectural reconstruction of the late-16th century castle.
This required years of research, so to create accurate floor plans and elevations of all the buildings. Furthermore, the location of all the buildings within the castle complex was carefully considered.
Within the artwork, the onlooker will clearly notice the bawn wall which surrounded the castle. The moat outside the bawn wall is also evident.
An Enormous Four-Storey Structure
Both of these features greatly enhanced the defensive capabilities of the castle. The gateway, which contained a drawbridge and a portcullis is also shown.
To the left of the gateway, along the bawn wall, one can clearly see a large elongated building. This was the hall. Here, courts and banquets were frequently held. Inside the bawn wall were a series of other significant buildings, including the Earl’s private chapel.
However, the most imposing structure within the castle complex was the great tower. This was an enormous four storey structure, which had a turret projecting from each of its corners. The Master of the Rolls, Nicholas White described this tower in 1580 as ‘a high monstrous structure, of many rooms built very high with several vaults’.
One can also observe from the mural, that the walls of the castle were rendered / plastered during medieval times. In many cases, a colour was applied to the render, this gave the castle a radiant and striking appearance, which enhanced the presence of the castle in the wider landscape.
Three Sections Survive
Nowadays, three sections of Castleisland Castle survive. The most imposing of which is the turret.
At this point, I would like to make the reader aware that if you stand directly opposite the mural, this is precisely how the castle would have appeared from the same viewpoint, during the 16th century.
Furthermore, if the observer walks to the far left of the mural wall, a gap will appear, from here one can clearly see the surviving turret in the distance.
On casting an eye back at the mural, the onlooker will notice a large flag on one of the turrets of the great tower. I intentionally positioned the Desmond flag on the turret that survives today, so to demonstrate how it originally connected to the great tower.
The remaining element to explore is the coat of arms, which appears several times within the artwork. It appears on the banner, on the flag over the battlements, as well as on the shield held by the Earl of Desmond.
Saint Andrews’s Cross
A coat of arms may be defined as a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon – commonly a shield. On the far-left of the mural, the onlooker will notice a large banner with a coat of arms and some strange creatures. Collectively these elements are known as a heraldic achievement. The main components of the latter include; a shield in the centre, along with supporters on either side of it.
Finally, a crest surmounted the shield. I will now explain each element in detail. I will first explore the coat of arms within the shield. The coat of arms of the Desmond Fitzgerald’s consisted of a red diagonal cross. This is a heraldic symbol known as a saltire or Saint Andrews’s Cross. Between the diagonal lines of the cross are small unusual black shapes. These shapes represent ermine, which is fur from a stoat. The linings of medieval coronation robes and other garments, were made by stitching many ermine furs together, to produce a luxurious white fur, with patterns of hanging black-tipped tails.
The next feature are the supporters, which are positioned on either side of the shield. On the left, there is a two-legged dragon, known as a wyvern. While on the opposite side, a griffin / gryphon appears. This magnificent beast was half lion and half eagle.
Mythological Creatures Revered
Both of these mythological creatures were revered during medieval times, and thus served as symbols of power and strength by elite families such as the Geraldines.
The figure which formed the crest, above the shield, is the wild boar. The boar once roamed throughout the ancient forests of Ireland, alongside the wolf. The boar, as well as the ape, commonly appeared as heraldic symbols of the Geraldines.
The war-cry of the Desmond Fitzgerald’s was ‘Shanid Abú’, in respect to their ancestral home in Shanid, Limerick. However, I decided to put a local twist on this, hence I altered it to ‘Desmonds Abú’, in honour of Castleisland Castle.
This war-cry was used with honour on the battlefield, as the Desmond’s fought many families throughout the ages, including the Butlers of Ormond and the Crown forces. During medieval times, many people were illiterate, therefore a coat of arms was the primary means by which families could be recognized on the battlefield.
A Point Worthy of Note
Another interesting point, worthy of note, is the intentional contrast in colour within the mural, which reflects different atmospheres and worlds. The left-hand side is dominated by bright colours, signifying the golden era of the reign of the Desmond Fitzgerald’s. This section of the artwork is dominated by the Desmond banner, the 16th century castle, along with the last great Earl of Desmond.
Alternatively, the right-hand side of the artwork is dominated by dark red menacing colours, which captures the sense of dread, following the arrival of the Crown forces in Ireland and the demise of the Geraldines.
To conclude, words can’t describe how overjoyed I am by the artwork, and the positive impact it is having on the local community.
People of all ages are curious, interested and eager to learn more about the mural and its meaning.
Hence, why I choose to write this article.
The Goals of a Voluntary Society
In recent years, the efforts and goals of our voluntary society have gone from strength to strength. We are greatly looking forward to celebrating the 800-year anniversary of the construction of the first castle here in Castleisland. This momentous milestone ‘Castleisland Castle:1226 to 2026’, will be an opportunity for the people of Castleisland and beyond, to come together and celebrate this special event. The artwork is one of many ways, in which we intent to cherish and preserve our local castle, in an effort to give people a greater sense of place and belonging. Over the coming months, a documentary on Castleisland Castle will finally be released. But this is a story for another day.
The reign of the Earls of Desmond is now lone gone, but long may the dying embers of the castle continue to fascinate and inspire us, to make a positive contribution to preserving our local history for current and future generations.
Sincere Thanks To…..
As founder and chairperson of ‘The Castle of the Island Society’, I would like to sincerely thank the sponsors; Cara Credit Union / The Lauri Healy Community Sponsorship Awards; John Mike Daley and family, USA, and the local Castleisland Chamber Alliance.
Finally, a sincere thanks to the local landowner, for kindly offering an ideal location to display the artwork.”
To learn more about Castleisland Castle you can visit the website at: www.castleislandcastle.com
For more on the artists, Adam and Darren Warren see: http://adwart.com/
You can contact The Maine Valley Post on… Anyone in The Maine Valley Post catchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.
