TULLY Castle nestled on the shores of Lower Lough Erne is the impressive remains of a fortified house and bawn built in the early 17th Century with a turbulent history.
Located three miles north from Derrygonnelly, the castle was built by Sir John Hume between 1611 and 1613. Though its design owed much to Hume’s native Scotland, his use of local labour meant Irish masonry techniques were used.
Sir John built a village nearby, inhabited by 24 Scottish families. The new settlers were fearful of attack from the native Irish, who vastly outnumbered them in Fermanagh, so Tully Castle was built with defence in mind. It’s bawn, a large 100-feet square yard surrounded by a high stone wall, had four projecting towers, or flankers, at the corners to provide protection by musket or pistol.
During the uprising of 1641, over 800 rebels led by Rory Maguire arrived at Tully on Christmas Eve. The terrified villagers took refuge inside the bawn but with the garrison away fighting, Lady Hume was forced to surrender.
According to the testimony of Rory Hume it was agreed that all would be spared once the castle and all arms had been given up, but while the Hume family were allowed to depart for Monea Castle, the remaining 15 men and about 60 women and children were imprisoned in the ground-floor vaulted cellar. On Christmas Day they were massacred and the castle burnt. It was never occupied again.
Today, the stronghouse survives to almost full height, while the bawn wall and its rectangular flankers are ruined except for the northeast side. A ten-year programme of repair followed the acquisition of the Castle by the Department of the Environment in 1974. Excavation revealed that the bawn was divided by cobbled paths, which suggested that this area had been used as a garden
Tully Castle was one of the several plantation castles in Fermanagh. A number of these were taken by the rebels during the uprising of 1641. Built on land confiscated from Irish lords, these castles provided protection for their adjoining settlements. A few, like Enniskillen held out; some were captured by the rebels; others, like Tully, were destroyed.
Several towns in Fermanagh such as Lisnaskea, Newtownbutler and Enniskillen began as small plantation villages, situated next to the new castles for safety.
The best preserved of these fortified houses, such as Tully and Monea are fine examples of 17th century plantation castles.
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