Dun An Oir, Smerwick - Massacre 11/11/1580

dodgygeezer

Coming up to this anniversary every year, I am reminded of the chilling events of 440 years ago. The manufactured thrills of Halloween pale into insignificance in comparison to the sad tales of the atrocities littering Irish, and human history.

I visited on a summers day approximately 10 years ago and have a vague memory of being able to get out to the headland. The article I linked to seems to indicate that the “foot wide” path is closed.

Would it be possible to camp for a night on the site or is it privately owned land? I may head down on the date of the massacre. The image of those 600 Spaniards and Italians lined up awaiting decapitation on an isolated Irish headland is haunting.

I presume the local stories of skeletons being intermittently exposed and washing out to sea are false?

dodgygeezer

http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/dun-an-oir/

Savage times, 300 were massacred on Dursey Island tied back to back and pushed over the cliffs during the pursuit of O'Sullivan Beare.

dodgygeezer

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Savage times, 300 were massacred on Dursey Island tied back to back and pushed over the cliffs during the pursuit of O'Sullivan Beare.

Jesus Conor, that’s horrific. They really wanted to make an example of that clan. Is that local knowledge or is it in the history books?

dodgygeezer

dodgygeezer wrote: »

Jesus Conor, that’s horrific. They really wanted to make an example of that clan. Is that local knowledge or is it in the history books?

It's recited in historical texts, can't find a direct link but here is a quote from Phillip O'Sullivan Beare...

http://www.iska.ie/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3335

From local knowledge they were thrown over the cliff near the cable car, facing you as you're on the mainland.

It came soon after the siege and fall of Dunboy Castle in nearby Castletownbere in the summer of 1602 when most of the 150 strong garrison who survived the siege were executed in the Square in Castletownbere.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunboy_Castle

The realisation that Beara had all but fallen led to the decision by Donal O'Sullivan Beare to lead 1,000 of his clan North, to find safety in numbers with clans he had met during the Battle of Kinsale. 1,000 set off on New Year's Eve 1602, 35 made it to Leitrim.

byhookorbycrook

dodgygeezer wrote: »

Coming up to this anniversary every year, I am reminded of the chilling events of 440 years ago. The manufactured thrills of Halloween pale into insignificance in comparison to the sad tales of the atrocities littering Irish, and human history.

I visited on a summers day approximately 10 years ago and have a vague memory of being able to get out to the headland. The article I linked to seems to indicate that the “foot wide” path is closed.

Would it be possible to camp for a night on the site or is it privately owned land? I may head down on the date of the massacre. The image of those 600 Spaniards and Italians lined up awaiting decapitation on an isolated Irish headland is haunting.

I presume the local stories of skeletons being intermittently exposed and washing out to sea are false?

The "site" is tiny and even if it is in private ownership,no issue going to it but not enough apace to camp on it, there's a car park there though

dodgygeezer

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

The "site" is tiny and even if it is in private ownership,no issue going to it but not enough apace to camp on it, there's a car park there though

Thanks byhookorbycrook. I might head down another year.