Kilbarron Castle as it might have looked in 1500
Kilbarron Castle, famous as the birthplace of Michéal O’Chléirigh, chief of the Four Masters, will host a celebration of the castle’s rich traditions of poetry and learning on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August. For the first time in 400 years, the stones of KilbarronCastle will echo with bardic poetry recited in Irish and translated into English.
The event which is part of National Heritage Week will welcome people from far and wide to experience some of the poetry, lifestyle and history of this castle on the shores of beautiful DonegalBay near Creevy. The event will include re-enactments of new pupils being shown what their studies will include, as well as readings of bardic poetry and later verses penned to celebrate the Four Masters who collated the Annals.
People will be surprised to discover that there was a bardic school at Kilbarron from around 1150. In fact, in the 14th Century Diarmad O’Cléirigh became known as “Diarmad na dTrí Scoil” for the three schools of learning he established at Kilbarron. The three schools were Language, Poetry and Chronicling. These bardic schools lasted up until the late 16th Century but were likely abandoned by the last years of the Nine Years War.
Speaking about the history of the castle, Fergus Cleary Chairman of the Kilbarron Castle Conservation Group said: “Michéal O’Chléirigh came from a long line of ollamhs who ran bardic schools from Kilbarron Castle. These schools provided the nearest thing to a university in the period 1200-1650. A course of study to become a Filí (poet) lasted a minimum of seven years.”
Speaking about the forthcoming event, Brian MacAmhlaigh, chairman of the Michéal O’Chléirigh Summer School who will be playing the part of Ceann Ollamh said:
“This event will give a flavour of the life of Kilbarron Castle and the structure of the studies which would have taken place at this historic site. The school year started at Michaelmas (29th September) and lasted until the 25th March, with a short break for Christmas. Tadhg Óg Ó Huiginn, a 15th century poet from North County Sligo, tells us that the students were sorry to hear the cuckoos, with the coming of the holidays they were to disperse.”
This free event will run on Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th of August, from 3pm – 5pm. Visitors are asked to meet at the Creevy Co-operative’s Marine Facility before being guided along the scenic coastal walk, part of the Wild Atlantic Way and introduced to the characters from the past who will unveil the long hidden stories of the castle. People are advised to wear sensible footwear and warm, waterproof clothing.
Complimentary tea and coffee and an exhibition can be enjoyed by the returning walkers after they experience being enrolled in the “Castle’s Bardic Class of 2015”.
The exhibition will show the ambitious plans to conserve the historic site with the generous funding from The Heritage Council. In 2015, The Heritage Council awarded the Kilbarron Castle Conservation Group €4000 towards conserving fragile sections of the site. (In 2014, the Heritage Council gave a generous award of €5,000 to draw up a Conservation Plan for the castle).
Some of the poems to be read at the Kilbarron Heritage Event
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For further information, please contact
Margaret Storey or Molly Reynolds
T: 071 9852896 T: 086 823 5034 or 071 985 1031
E: info@creevyexperience.com E: mollyreynolds@eircom.net