The Castle of the White Deer Traditional Geocache
Croaghan: Hi,
There has been no response from the cache owner so I'm Archiving this cache.
It may be possible to reactivate it. If you wish to do so please contact me via my profile and quote the Geocaching.com ID for the cache so I know which one you are referring to.
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Many thanks,
Niall
Croaghan - Volunteer Reviewer for Geocaching.com (Ireland)
The Castle of the White Deer
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This is a nano cache - an extremely small magnetic container with only room for a tiny log scroll, so you will have to look very carefully!
Since 1185 a series of fortifications have occupied this strategic location commanding the ford of the River Blackwater in Co.Cork.
The Condons known in Irish as the Le Flemings, an Anglo-Norman family were the first to hold Mallow Castle. They displaced the O'Keeffes who they drove west and built the first castle - a motte & bailey. A second stone castle was soon built. A daughter, Amy, married into the Roche family who were involved in it's construction.
In 1282 the FitzGeralds of Desmond took Mallow and enlarged and embellished the castle. It was in theri possession until the Earls of Desmond's doomed rebellion at the end of the 16th century. In 1286 the FitzGeralds received permission to raise taxes for 7 years to build defences for Mallow & Tralee. In Mallow these consisted of the Castle Garr (the Shortcastle) at the west end of the town and a curtain wall.around the castle. The existing tower with battered walls and return angles is a solitary remnant of the FitzGerald stronghold. It had 3 courtyards, a barbican, a large hall and a 5 storey double vaulted roof with thatch. After the Desmond rebellion it was described as ruinous.
After the rebellion the owner Sir John of Desmond, brother of the Earl,died in captivity. His dismembered body was hung from the gates of Cork and his lands parcelled out to English soldiers. Sir John Norreys, Lord President of Munster, was granted Mallow and it passed to his brother Sir Thomas, deputy Lord President who was fatally wounded by a pike thrust in the neck assisting the earl of Essex's abortive expedition in 1599. The Norreys built the 3rd castle 1585 - 1595 40M north of the FitzGerald site, in the form of a Tudor fortified mansion described as "a goodly fine and sumptuous house". It shows transitional architecture from the massive stone walled fortress to a fortified house. Sir Thos. young daughter was sent a pair of white deer as a christening gift by her Godmother Elizabeth I. The white deer can still be seen grazing behind the castle beyond the gate. In 1607 aged 12 this daughter married Sir John Jephson. She had 8 children and died aged 28. Their descendants lived in the mansion for 4 centuries. The castle fell into ruin in the 17th C, but the Jephsons enlarged the stables, converting them into the 4th castle in the form of a grand country house. This can still be seen and was purcashed by the McGinn family in 1983.
During the Confederate Wars the Jephsons declared for Paliament and were attacked by Confederates under Viscount Mountgarrett. Mallow town was attacked and burnt, but the castle held out. In 1645 it submitted to Inchiquin. In Nov 1647 5,000 men died when Confed. and Parlia. armies clashed west of Mallow at Knockanuss. In the Williamite Wars, a Jacobite army under Donagh McCarthy marched from Cork to destry Mallow Castle on the orders of James II. The Williamites under Colonel Dundas burned the bridge to stop the Irish advance and savagely defeated them in the meadow where the twon park now stands, also badly damaging St Anne's church in the process.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Tevyy va tebhaq sybbe jvaqbj, orybj gur oebxra yvagry naq gur gjb erq oevpxf.