Martello tower

The National Monuments Service's description

Shenick's Island Martello Tower No. 10 (Kerrigan 1995, 174). According to Kerrigan (1995, 168) construction of the Dublin area Martello Towers and their batteries commenced in 1804 under the supervision of Colonel Benjamin Fisher of the Royal Engineers and by December 1805 all towers were armed and complete. Kerrigan (ibid.) recorded that; 'Twelve towers were constructed north of Dublin: each tower mounted one 24-pounder, apart from the tower on Ireland's Eye with two 24-pounders. No batteries were constructed with these towers'. This tower was built at the north end of Shenick Island (Bolton et al. 2012, 175). It was built with limestone masonry and plastered with a rough lime render. Some granite was used for the rooftop gun platform. The interior of the tower has a domed ceiling and the floor of the rooftop gun platform is inclined with grooves cut in the stone that direct rainwater to a hole which led to a tank in the basement. Many of the original details survive including the iron shot furnace, gun rails and iron rings (ibid).The Shenick's Island tower was under the command of Ralph Allen Daniel of the Fair Street Barracks in Drogheda in 1848 (ibid). An estimated 12 troops were stationed at the tower in 1857. It was disarmed by 1874 and was sold by the War Department in 1908 (ibid). There is a stone built well towards the south of Shenick Island and sewage works at southeast end. To the of the Martello south is the stone built powder store/latrine-roof missing but in good condition. To east of shoreline is the remains of a stone wall. At top of cliff which is rapidly eroding is a pointed OS marker. Another lies on ground between the Martello and latrine-appears never to have been installed.

See attached plans of Shenick's Island Martello Tower No. 10 courtesy of the Irish Military Archives - Archival Reference Code: IE/MA/MPD/ad134123-004

Photo © jai (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 24 January 2023

References

Kerrigan P.M. 1995 Castles and fortifications in Ireland 1485-1945. Cork. The Collins Press.

Bolton, J., Carey, T., Goodbody, R., and Clabby, G. 2012 The Martello Towers of Dublin. Dublin. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Fingal County Council.