Castle Archdale
Encyclopedia
Castle Archdale in County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
is the home of Castle Archdale Country Park, situated near Irvinestown
and owned and run by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
. The original castle was destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641
and again in 1689, during the Williamite wars
. In the 18th century, a mansion was built, but all that now remains is a huge cobbled courtyard surrounded by white outbuildings, housing an information centre and tearooms. The ruins of the old castle itself are situated in the old area of the park.
, RAF Castle Archdale
was a major base for flying boat
s (e.g. Catalina), housing up to 2,500 people. PBY Catalina
s and Short Sunderland
s flew from Castle Archdale to protect Atlantic
shipping from German U-boat
s. Today's caravan site sits on the concrete maintenance area where aircraft were serviced, and a museum in the park holds exhibits from the World War II period.
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
is the home of Castle Archdale Country Park, situated near Irvinestown
Irvinestown
Irvinestown is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 1,801 people. The most notable building is the ruined 18th century church.-History:...
and owned and run by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
History
The park was once an estate owned by the Archdale family, who arrived in 1614 during the Plantation of UlsterPlantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
. The original castle was destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
and again in 1689, during the Williamite wars
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
. In the 18th century, a mansion was built, but all that now remains is a huge cobbled courtyard surrounded by white outbuildings, housing an information centre and tearooms. The ruins of the old castle itself are situated in the old area of the park.
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale, also known for a while as RAF Lough Erne was a Royal Air Force station used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force station in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.-WWII History:...
was a major base for flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s (e.g. Catalina), housing up to 2,500 people. PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
s and Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
s flew from Castle Archdale to protect Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
shipping from German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s. Today's caravan site sits on the concrete maintenance area where aircraft were serviced, and a museum in the park holds exhibits from the World War II period.
Transport
- There is a ferry to White IslandWhite Island, County FermanaghWhite Island is an island in Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated in Castle Archdale Bay off the east shore of Lower Lough Erne. The ruins of an ancient church are found near the shore, built on the site of an earlier monastic settlement. It still has an intact...
which leaves from Castle Archdale marina. - Castle Archdale private railway station opened on 13 June 1866, but finally closed on 3 July 1950.
- The Wide-awake boat was kept at Castle Archdale until 1939.