Martello Tower finally engages the French!

The cannon being fired from Tower No. 7

During the Napoleonic Wars Ireland was girdled with Martello Towers, gun emplacements and batteries as England feared, with some reason that the French would invade Ireland as a backdoor to invade England and to neutralise their naval power. There was some reason to believe Les Grenouilles would have been warmly welcomed by the natives;

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/03/years-of-french.html

There was only one problem with this huge expenditure and build up of manpower. You guessed it, the French didn’t turn up, something which was to become a bit of a habit. Well now they have made amends for on the 14th August 2011 a French Frigate arrived in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, south of Dublin and the 18lb. Bloemfield Cannon on the Killiney Martello Tower was fired. However, these shots were not fired in anger as this military response to an armed French invasion was a salute to the yachts, and their military escort, departing on the third leg of the Solitaire du Figaro single handed coastal yacht race. The shore batteries fired 3 blank shots to salute the French frigate, which whistled 3 times in response and the shore guns replied with the further traditional 3 shots. Waiting 200 years to do this was no fun!


Tower No. 7 with the musket points which covered the gun battery

No. 7 Martello Tower on Killiney Hill was one element in the defences of Killiney Bay against a possible French invasion in the period 1804 to 1815. It has been restored privately and with some altruism to its original glory and function by Niall O'Donoghue. The restored Tower was inaugurated on the 12th of July 2008, with firing of the specially cast working cannon.

This was (almost) the culmination of a project aimed at restoring the Tower to its original state. Niall O'Donoghue has undertaken the restoration at great expense, both financially and in terms of effort, and the result is stunning. The smaller Killiney Martello Tower (Tower No. 7) is a free-standing, compact, squat, circular, two-storey structure built over a vaulted cellar with a parapet- protected roof which has a fixture for a large traversing cannon. The tower stands 10m high, with bomb-proof walls, over 3 metres thick in places. It is built with large granite blocks and is a magnificent feat of engineering.


Inauguration of restored Martello Tower No. 7 at Killiney, Co. Dublin, Ireland on Saturday 12th July 2008 and firing of 18 lb. Cannon.

No. 7 Tower was part of the defences of Killiney Bay against a possible French invasion in the period 1804 to 1815. The other towers and batteries have suffered a variety of fates, but this one was rescued and restored to its original state by Niall, who bought the much neglected site off the local council where it had been used as a maintenance yard for storing building materials and equipment.


Model of Tower No. 7 by Terry O'Sullivan showing the 3 gun artillery battery in front and the defensive glacis or bank

Niall was interviewed on Irish Television and pointed out the uniqueness of what he has created on Killiney Hill. For this is the only Martello Tower restored to its original state with a rotating working cannon, musket points, battery and defensive glacis in the world. It has been a great achievement and since Niall’s appearance on RTE he is pointed out as he walks through Killiney and Dalkey as “yer man on the telly.” Fame at last!

To see Tower No. 7’s details and news go to Pol’s webpage;

http://www.photopol.com/martello/no7.html

For the background to Martello Towers see;

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/09/martello-towers.html

There is still a huge amount of work required on the site which will take a lot of dedication and a lump of funding. To help or arrange a visit email Niall;

niall.tower@iol.ie


Niall and the Tower Click for larger view

The Tower is available for events. It is ne of the most unusual locations in Ireland, 25 mins south of Dublin, 300 yards from the sea spectacular panoramic views overlooking Killiney bay from Dalkey Island to Bray head, Sugar Loaf and Wicklow mountains. Fully restored Martello Tower with 2 large internal rooms, and fully working cannon on the roof. There is also a beautiful battery area with large lawn. Ideal for hosting special events, product launches, parties, outdoor theatre, film locations and various types of daytime workshops. It is also available on special request for events, period re-enactments’ including soldiers and cannon firing.

Tower No. 7 on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/martellotower

Killiney Martello Tower No. 7

For only the second time in over 200 years, No.7 Martello Tower, in Killiney, Co. Dublin, Ireland, was inaugurated on Saturday, 12th July 2008. This was (almost) the culmination of a project aimed at restoring the Tower to its original state. Niall O'Donoghue has undertaken the restoration at great expense, both financially and in terms of effort, and the result is stunning.


Tower No. 7 showing the musket points and artillery battery in front

The project has been long and meticulous and the (almost) finished Tower was inaugurated with much ceremony, jollity and efficiency on the 12th of July 2008. The newly cast cannon was successfully fired and a blaze of colour was added by the Redcoat finery and arms of the firing party and their escort. Musket volleys were also fired as a teaser to the main event.


Cannon cast




18 Pdr Blomefield cannon recently cast on a wooden traversing carriage

The smaller Killiney Martello Tower (Tower No. 7) is a free-standing, compact, squat, circular, two-storey structure built over a vaulted cellar with a parapet- protected roof which has a fixture for a large traversing cannon. The tower stands 10m high, with bomb-proof walls, over 3 metres thick in places. It is built with large granite blocks and is a magnificent feat of engineering.


View from the Tower towards Dalkey


View towards Bray Head

Martello towers (or simply Martellos) are small defensive forts built in several countries of the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the Napoleonic Wars onwards. They stand up to 40 feet (12m) high (with two floors) and typically had a garrison of one officer and 15-25 men. Their round structure and thick walls of solid masonry made them resistant to cannon fire, while their height made them an ideal platform for a single heavy artillery piece, mounted on the flat roof and able to traverse a 360° arc. A few Martello towers were surrounded by a moat for extra defence. They were used throughout the 19th century, but became obsolete with the introduction of powerful rifled artillery. Many have survived to the present day, often preserved as historic monuments.


Firing Platform


Gun Rails to rotate the cannon 360° degrees

A number of Martello towers were built around the coast of Ireland, especially along the east, from Millmount (Drogheda), to Bray, around Dublin Bay but also around Cork Harbour on the south coast. On the east coast, concentrated mainly around Dublin Bay, the towers were in line of sight of each other, providing the ability to communicate with one another, or warn of any incoming attacks. Possibly the most famous is the Martello tower in Sandycove, near Dún Laoghaire, in which James Joyce lived for a few days. Joyce shared the tower with Oliver St. John Gogarty, then a medical student but later to become famous in Irish history as a surgeon, politician and writer. The fictional character Stephen Dedalus lives in the tower with a medical student, Malachi "Buck" Mulligan, in Ulysses. The character Buck Mulligan was based by Joyce on Gogarty. Known as the James Joyce Tower, it is now a museum dedicated to Joyce.


Interior

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/06/james-joyce-and-me.html


Stairs

A number of other Martello towers are extant nearby at Bulloch Harbour, Dalkey Island, Williamstown, Seapoint and Sandymount and Martello towers feature in many literary works set in Dublin. On the north side of the city, Martello towers can be found in Portmarnock, Howth, and Sutton and on both Ireland's Eye and Lambay Island. During the 1980s Bono owned the Martello tower in Bray, County Wicklow.

See also;

http://www.photopol.com


http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/09/martello-towers.htmll


Bombast!

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