Parke's Castle - Caisleán Parke

Parke's Castle (Irish: Caisleán Parke), situated on the northern banks of Lough Gill, County Leitrim, Ireland (Irish: Loch Gile, Contae Liatroma, Éire) is a restored castle of the early seventeenth century. It was once the home of English planter Robert Parke, who built a fortification on the site on what was once an older Gaelic castle. The term planter refers to the Plantations of Ireland in 16th and 17th century Ireland. This involved the confiscation of Irish-owned land by the English Crown and the colonisation of this land with settlers from Britain. In 1628, some years after Robert Parke's had taken control of the castle, he completed his fortified manor house at the centre of the older castle.

The older fortification on the site, was the fifteenth-century tower house owned by Brian  O'Rourke (Irish: Brian na Múrtha Ó Ruairc c. 1540 – 1591), it was then known as Uí Ruairc castle. He was king and then lord of West Breifne. The Kingdom of West Breifne (Irish Breifne Ua Ruairc) or Breifne O'Rourke was a historic kingdom of Ireland that existed from 1256 to 1605. It was located in the area that is now County Leitrim (Irish: Contae Liatroma). During the rule of Brian O'Rourke there was continuous English encroachments on his lands. He resisted the English, but was eventually arrested and sent to London and sentenced to death in in November 1591.

Family tragedy struck the Parke's in 1677 when some members of the family drowned in Lough Gill (Irish: Loch Gile) by which it stands. After this the castle then fell into disrepair, but was restored in the late twentieth century. It is owned by the state. Parke’s Castle is in an attractive setting on the northern shores of Lough Gill in County Leitrim and is open to the public. It is located on the Sligo-Dromahair Road (R286), 11 km from Sligo Town (Irish: Sligeach) or 7 km from Dromahair. (Irish: Droim Dhá Thiar).

Link: Heritage Ireland Parke's Castle

Image: Parkes Castle in Winter (taken by Sytheston from the lake shore close by Parkes Castle).