Allen Blog-Hugh's Story- Part 5- The Enchantment of Dangan

Dangan Castle, County Meath by Lord Brougham circa 1880

Running along the western border of the Allen farm lay the enchanting ruins of Dangan Castle. This huge estate encompassed woodlands and fields which in turn embraced a fairyland built by adults for their own entertainment- a circular fort, a grotto, the remains of a vast ornamental lake with several islands, an embankment, ornamental obelisks, canals, ruins of the castle, and the ruins of Dangan House. With eight boys, it would be a near miracle if they avoided this attraction- forbidden or not. By the time that Hugh was growing up, this land was more than likely deserted, other than being an attraction for the occasional tourist passing through.

The History of Dangan Castle

Built by Richard Wesley, the first Baron Mornington, this ruin was a showplace in the time of Hugh's grandparents. In 1732 a visitor described a large hall with an organ and harpsichord so guests could enjoy music and dancing. The Baron had grand stables and extensive gardens with hills and vistas, "follies" of Roman temples, ornamental statues, and tall obelisks. The eccentric Baron went on to create canals and large artificial lakes with islands and forts. [1]Here he placed a 20 ton man of war (which he used in mock battles and for firing salutes on family occasions,) a yacht, and a steam boat. The grounds were once surrounded by woodlands and an avenue of trees led to the Italian style "Dangan House" which was added on to Dangan Castle, which was kept as a "folly."  A visitor in 1752 describes his experience there:

"We soon after came to Dangan, the seat of Lord Mornington, situated on a most beautiful flat with an amphitheater of hills rising round it, one over another, in a most beautiful manner; at the lower end is a very large piece of water, at one corner of which is an island; it is a regular fortification; there is a ship, and sloop, and boats on the water, and a yard for building; the hill beyond it is improved into a beautiful wilderness; on a round hill near the house is a temple, and the hills around are adorned with obelisks, pillars, and some buildings; altogether it is the most beautiful thing I ever saw." [2]

Garret Wesley, the first Earl of Mornington, married Anne Hill-Trevor in 1759 and they had six children: Richard, Viscount Wellesley (1760-1842) William Wellesley (1763-1845) Arthur Wellesley the Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) Henry Wellesley (1773-1847) and Anne Wellesley (1775-1844.) (Queen Elizabeth II of England is a direct descendant of Garret Wesley.)[3]The chief claim to fame of the property, was, in Hugh's time, one of its famous inhabitants. It was here that Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington (famous for his defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo) spent much of his early childhood, attending the local Protestant school at Trim. 

Portrait of the Duke of Wellington by Sir Thomas Lawrence 1814

Rev. Jonathan Swift Vicar of Laracor Parish Church [5]

Captain Burrows and an Irish Rascal

The Wellesley's, however ran into financial difficulties over the years. In 1793 the estate was sold to Captain Thomas Burrows, who added two wings to the home, including a chapel and a library. In 1803, Burrows leased the house to Roger O’Conner, an Irish Nationalist who was apparently quite a rascal.  Besides eloping with a married lady, he was accused of a notorious train robbery in 1817. He was acquitted of this, claiming that the purpose of the robbery was merely to help him re-capture some love-letters for a friend. It was said that O’Conner had bought Dangan as a place to entertain Napoleon as a guest (expecting a successful invasion of British Ireland by the French) – quite an irony considering the birth of Napoleon’s nemesis in the same house! Instead, over time, O’Conner emptied the place of all valuables, cut down much of the woods for timber, and, after he took out over 5,000 pounds of insurance, the house “mysteriously” caught fire burned.[6]

In Griffith’s Valuation of 1855, Murphy O’Connell is still shown as renting 679 acres in Dangan (the estate) from Thomas Burrows, and Burrows is listed as the landlord for Dangan tenant farmers, including Peter and James Allen. By the birth of Hugh, this once grand estate was basically an abandoned shell of its former grandeur- the lakes dried up, the house and castle empty ruins- a perfect place for curious boys.

Dangan School

 Hugh probably never realized that his family's former neighbors at Dangan had helped pave the way for him (and children across Ireland) to attend school. The Duke’s brother, Richard, the Marques Wellesley, had also been raised at the Dangan estate. (Some stories say that young Richard started one of the first damaging fires there while making bullets in the attics as a boy.) Richard went on to study at Harrow, Eton, and Oxford. Later serving in parliament, he was instrumental in the passage of the Romans Catholic Relief Act of 1829. The passage of the Act, championed by Daniel O’Connell, an Irish Catholic lawyer, repealed the remaining Penal Laws throughout Ireland. The Marques brother, the famous Duke of Wellington, was also key in its passage through the House of Lords-threatening to resign as Prime Minister if the King did not approve the bill. Soon after passage of this important act, in 1831, the first Irish National Schools were established, paving the way for free education in Ireland.  [7]           

                        

                                Richard, Marques Wellesley [8]

     

The Duke of Wellington arguing in Parliament [9]

The National School, which was run by the parish, was established at Dangan in 1832,[10] and here Hugh and his brothers, sisters and many of their friends would have walked daily to learn to read and write. The 1911 census shows this building as a two room schoolhouse.  These rural schools generally had an open fireplace for heating, and in winter children were required to bring turf to school every day to help provide heat for the building. Since most homes struggled with having enough turf to provide heat at home, this came at a great cost to many families.  English was the required language of instruction.[11] On Sundays, the Allen family attended the church in Dangan, in the Roman Catholic Parish of Summerhill. It was here that their children were baptized, with family and friends serving as sponsors and witnesses.

Dangan Church and School Grounds

In 1911, Our Lady of Lourdes Church was built in Dangan to replace the old parish church. The new Dangan National School is now located on the road between Dangan and Summerhill.[13] The ruins of Dangan Castle and Dangan House remain a tourist attraction, and the estate is currently for sale. (2014)[14]

              

                      

Dangan House

[1] “North Leinster: The Counties of Longford, Louth, Meath, and WestMeath “by Christine Casey, Alistair John Rowan
[2] Pocoke’s Tour of Ireland in 1752
[3] Wikipedia; Garret Wesley, 1^st Earl of Mornington

[4] http://swiftsatirefestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Swifts_Trim_brochure_final_Trim.pdf)

[5] http://swiftsatirefestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Swifts_Trim_brochure_final_Trim.pdf)

[6]http://alison-stewart.blogspot.com/2013_02_01_archive.html

[7]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Wellesley.jpeg

[8]Portrait of Richard Colley Wellesley by Thomas Lawrence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Wellesley.jpeg

[9]Painting by Sir George Hayter of the Duke of Wellington (on the right) debating in the issue in 1833 wikipedia

[10] http://www.summerhillparish.ie/schools

[11]http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/5th-+-6th-class/history/my-school-history/national-schools-in-the-1/heating/

[12] Map of Griffith's Valuation 1855 

[13] http://www.summerhillparish.ie/schools

[14] http://www.daft.ie/commercial/dangan-castle-and-lands-trim-road-summerhill-meath/67273/