About three miles from Dublin, between Crumlin and Clondalkin, is situated the old fortress of Drimnagh or Druimneach, which signifies the “ridged lands,” so called from the proximity of the sand ridges called the Green Hills.

The castle is an oblong building with pointed battlements at the corners. A passage with an arched entrance high enough for a loaded cart to enter is visible from the road, above which rises three storeys, with a modern window in each.

A turret stairway also projects on this side and rises above the battlements. An ancient chimney flue is to be seen crowned by a modern addition.

A small turret rises above the battlements on the north side as well, at which side a strong, modern house has been added.

The castle is covered by a modern slated roof. Some outhouses bear marks of antiquity, and a little distance from the main building is a small, square tower, which, no doubt, formed an outpost for the garrison. The fortress was surrounded by a moat at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and its position can still be traced.

In 1215 the lands of Drimnagh were granted by King John to Hugh de Bernivall, and he is supposed to have built the castle early in this reign.

The lands were confirmed to his brother in 1221, and they remained in his descendants’ possession for four hundred years.

In 1435 Wolfran Barnewall had licence to entail his estates, and in 1613 the family leased the castle to Sir Adam Loftus, a nephew of the Archbishop, with the reservation that no timber was to be cut.

Some time later a Peter Barnewall succeeded to the property, and he was unwilling to renew Sir Adam’s lease, whereupon that gentleman endeavoured with some members of the Barnewall family to prevent his inheriting the estate, and proceeded at the same time to cut down the great trees which surrounded the fortress. After much litigation the King at length intervened on behalf of Barnewall, and Sir Adam was restrained from doing any more damage.

In 1649, after the battle of Rathmines, the Duke of Ormond seriously contemplated fortifying Drimnagh and making it his headquarters, but he was dissuaded by General Purcell.

Colonel Nicholas Walker, a Cromwellian officer, lived in the castle after the Restoration. It was said that he was present on the scaffold at the execution of Charles I. with his face covered by a vizor. The Hearth Money Returns of 1664 state that Drimnagh was occupied by “Lt.-Col. ——,” and had three “smooks” or chimneys.

In 1841 the fortress was the property of the Marquis of Lansdowne. It was one of the castles of the Pale, and the scene of Mr. R. D. Joyce’s romance entitled “The Rose of Drimnagh” is laid there.

Until lately it was inhabited by Mrs. Mylott, but it is now empty.