Inniscarra Historical Society
Carrignamuck Castle
The Castle of Carrignamuck (Dripsey Castle) stands approximately one mile from the village on the banks of the River Dripsey. It is one of a chain of castles extending from Blarney to beyond Macroom, all formerly the property of the Lords of Muskerry.
Cormac Mac Teige MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, built Blarney Castle, one of the most famous castles in Ireland. He also built Carrignamuck Castle, among others, during the latter part of the 15th Century.
It was usual for the Lords to have trusted relatives living in their outlying castles, who would support the Lord with his own guards when required. It is known that the Lord of Muskerry lived at that time in Blarney Castle and that his successor was always posted at Carrignamuck Castle. Lord Cormac’s brother Eoghan lived for a time at Carrignamuck, until Cormac was killed during an argument between the two brothers. Because he had killed his brother, the Lord, Eoghan’s claims on the title were denied and he was debarred from succession.
About 1650, Cromwellian troops, under Lord Broghill, attacked Dripsey Castle and captured it. Many years after this it was bought by the Colthurst family and they built a house in the grounds. Later, in 1903, it was bought by Andrew O’Shaughnessy, the industrialist and politician and it has remained in his family ever since, although it has not been lived in for many years
Dripsey Ambush
Approximately a mile from Shandy Hall, on the road from Dripsey to Coachford, near the turn-off for Peake, an unsuccessful ambush took place, between the Irish Volunteers and the British Black and Tans, during the Irish Fight for Independence (1916-1922).
Led by Column Commander Frank Busteed, the Irish Volunteers attempted to ambush a British convoy in January 1921. The convoy was cancelled but the British forces were told about the proposed ambush by an informant. On 28th January 1921 the British forces approached the Irish Volunteers and surrounded them. During the fight which followed, eight Irishmen were captured, five of whom men were executed at Cork Military Barracks (now University College Cork, in February 1921. One man died of wounds, one was set free and one was sentenced to death but was reprieved and held prisoner-of-war until January 1922.
A monument has been erected on the site of the ambush in memory of the men killed, and there is also a memorial to those men at University College Cork.
Patrick O'Mahony, born Derry, Berrings 23 September 1896. Captured at Dripsey Ambush and executed on 28 February 1921
The unveiling of the Dripsey Ambush commemoration monument in 1938. Renowned sculptor Seamus Murphy designed and executed the memorial. It replaced a small wooden cross erected in 1924 by Anne MacSwiney – sister of Terence MacSwiney, the former Lord Mayor of Cork
The Dripsey Ambush Memorial Parade 1971 on the Fiftieth Anniversary Crossing Over Dripsey Bridge On The Way To The Ambush Monument Site
Dripsey Mills
For about 200 years there has been a succession of mills in Dripsey, a paper mill, two cheese factories and a woollen mill which remained active until 1983.
In 1784, Dripsey Paper Mills was started by Batt Sullivan, and under him became one of the most famous in Ireland. Batt Sullivan had studied French papermaking, as they were the most advanced in Europe. He developed those methods at Dripsey, which became known for its fine quality paper. Treasury Bills and Bank Notes for the Bank of England were made at the mills.
In 1812, the mill covered six acres of ground – three of the acres were of buildings, passages and houses, and the other three were taken up by the mill pond. The number employed in the mills was 400. Many of these would have been carters of rags, which was the raw material. Rags were brought from the quays in Cork, having been imported from London, Liverpool and Belfast. Many of the mill workers lived in a small village which grew up around the mill, called Blackpool, which stretched for about three-quarters of a mile and which consisted of sixty mud cabins and some stone houses. The remains of the stones can still be seen. After many years of being bought and sold, the mills were finally closed in 1864.
However, many years later, during World War I, Peggy, a daughter of the Bowen-Colthurst family, who at that time lived in Dripsey Castle, built a cheese factory in some of the buildings of the old paper mills. But this was closed in 1921, because her brother ordered three men, including Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, to be executed, and personally shot a teenage boy, during the start of the Easter Rising in the Irish fight for Independence.
Also in Dripsey there has been a woollen mill in existence for over a century. Before that it was a flour mill. It was bought by Andrew O’Shaughnessy in 1903.
High quality woollen goods such as cellular blankets, bed-spreads and ladies and gents tweeds were made. These were exported to the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.
As with the paper mills, a village grew by the mills, as more mill-workers came to the area. There are now about 70 houses in this village which has the unusual name of the “Model Village”.
The Dripsey Mill buildings are still there, in the shadow of the Castle, and the Mill pond, which used to drive the machinery in the Mill is now home to various ducks and swans, although the pond is seriously silted up.
