APPENDIX. 295 



Newry was fortified by Sir Nicholas Bagnal, about 

 the year 1578, as appears from a ftone on the outfide 

 of the fteeple of the church, which he built. Shane 

 O'Neil at this time lived at Fedom, about a mile from 

 Newry, fuffering no fubject to travel from Dundalk 

 northward ; but after the fortifying of the former the 

 pafTages of the country were opened. 



Dundrum caftle is finely fituated on a rock, com- 

 manding a view of the whole bay of that name, the fea 

 to the fouth, a great part of Lecale to the eaft, and of 

 the mountains of Mourne to the fouth and fouth-weft. 

 There are ftill confiderable remains of this caftle, par- 

 ticularly a circular tower, and near it, a little lower, 

 the ruins of an ancient manfion. This caftle is faid to 

 have been built by Sir John de Courcey for the Knights 

 templars, who poffefled it till the year 1313, when that 

 order was abolifhed. It was afterwards granted to the 

 Prior of Down, who held the fame, with a fmall manor 

 adjoining, till the firft fuppreffion of religious houfes : 

 the reverfion of this houfe and manor, with the yearly 

 rent of 61. 13^. 4^. referved out of it, was granted to 

 Gerald earl of Kildare. This caftle, with feven town- 

 lands, was granted to the family of Magennis ; on their 

 forfeiture it became the property of the Earl of Ard- 

 glafs, and afterwards came into the pofleflion of the 

 Lord Vifcount Blundell, in whofe reprefentative, the 

 Marchionefs of Downfhire, it now remains. When this 

 -caftle was in repair, it often proved a good guard to the 



pafs, 



