The ghosts of ‘Castletown Mount’ in Dundalk

Some time ago I wrote about the origins of Roche Castle which was, supposedly, to have been one of the few medieval castles built in Ireland by a woman Rohesia de Verdon, a daughter of the family that was granted lands in North Louth by Henry 11 in the late 12th century. This castle figured prominently in the story of Edward Bruce’s invasion of Ireland in the early 14th century and was one of the most imposing fortifications on the northern boundary of The Pale for over 300 years. It was the ghost story attaching to it, however, that seems to have attracted the most attention of readers.

This has reminded me of another ghost story relating Castletown Mount which Dundalk people these days seem to have never heard about. It is about a huge black cat that is still believed by some to be guarding a treasure amassed by the Pirate Byrne, buried underneath the Mount.

This sort of legend is common enough in many parts of Ireland but the Castletown story, however, may have some basis in truth.

The Mount itself is the stuff of myths and legends going back to the times of the Red Branch Knights of the kingdom of Uladh when Cuchullain himself was reputed to have been brought up in a fortress that stood on the top of this hill overlooking the present town.

The Black Cat story relates to a man named Patrick Byrne who owned property in the Saltown area of Castletown and built a mansion for himself on top of what was believed to be a Norman castle and motte constructed on the hill. The remains of part of this house are still there today in the form of a tower which is known locally as 'Byrne's Folly'. It once had an inscription over the entrance door which read 'Built by Patrick Byrne Esq. 1790'. This structure still exists and was, in fact, the central part of another house built by a Thomas Dawson in 1850.

I recently read an article which stated Patrick Byrne may not have been a pirate at all but, when I first scrambled up the Mount many years ago, I was told that he had a pretty unsavoury reputation.

One of the stories that were told about him then was that there was a mausoleum in the nearby Castletown Graveyard where he was buried which has no roof. It is still in this state and it was said that he had been cursed for his misdeeds during his life by somebody who wished that he would have no roof over his grave. It was also said that when the tomb was constructed, it had a roof, but that, as soon as his coffin was placed in it, the roof fell in overnight. It was alleged that several attempts were made to re-roof the structure but that the roof had fallen, each time during the hours of darkness.

Another story about him was that three men had crept into his bedroom with the intention of robbing him but that he had, somehow, managed to 'sweet talk' them with promises of great reward. After they left, however, he had them arrested by the authorities and hung!

Whatever the truth of these stories it seems that he had, at least, been an active smuggler which gained him great wealth. He may well have been involved in 'privateering', which was a form of piracy which was overlooked by the authorities, provided the ship did not an attack British ships and gave a percentage of the booty taken to the Crown.

To give some credence to this story, I read in an old Tempest's Annual that there was plans and funding for a heavily armed sailing ship to be built sometime in the eighteenth century which was to be named the 'S.S. Dundalk'. This venture had the backing of the local gentry which may have included the 'Pirate Byrne'.

Charlie McCarthy, the custodian of much local maritime lore, tells me that this was to be the first of at least seven ships named 'Dundalk', one of which was sunk by a German submarine near the end of World War 1, in October 1918. Charlie thinks that this early 'Dundalk' may never have been been built but that it was likely that it was intended to be used a 'privateer' to plunder foreign vessels.

Whether or not Patrick Byrne was a pirate may never be authenticated but it is clear that he was greatly disliked and feared; and that he was fairly wealthy. The local legend was that he had hidden his wealth in a cave underneath the Mount and had made a bargain with dark forces to provide a phantom black cat to guard it. This black cat was said to have glowing eyes and that it could increase its size when confronted.

It may have been that Byrne had spread this rumour himself to keep robbers away from his home following the intrusion in his sleeping quarters.

This is indeed an entrance under the central part of the Mount which used to be closed off by a padlocked iron gate which may still be there. One of the versions of the old story was that this was the entrance to a tunnel which led down to the ruined church of St. John in the middle of the cemetery. I do not know if anybody was brave enough to try to venture into this underground cavern. If they did, they never returned to tell the tale!