G. Hill, “Macdonnells of Antrim.” Calendar of State Papers. Parliamentary Gazetteer. Proceedings of Archæological Association of Ireland, Papers by R. Young and J. O’Laverty. Joyce, “Irish Place Names.” “The Description and Present State of Ulster,” in _Ulster Journal of Archæology_. [Illustration: DUNSOGHLY CASTLE.] _DUNSOGHLY CASTLE_ This castle is situated eight miles north-by-west of Dublin, near the village of St. Margaret’s, off the Ashbourne road. It consists of a splendidly preserved keep about 80 feet high, flanked by four square towers which rise above the roof at each corner. One of these contains a winding stair leading to the battlements, at the top of which a flight of ten steps gives egress to the summit of the watch tower. The other three towers have little rooms opening off the different storeys. The ground floor, which was most likely a kitchen, is a large vaulted apartment into which a door has been quarried in later years. The first floor was once a fine wainscotted room, the walls of which were yet hung with family pictures when D’Alton visited it in 1838. A flight of wooden stairs connects this apartment with the ground. The two upper storeys had wooden floors, and the building is still covered by a good slated roof, which is evidently a modern addition. So too are the large square windows, some of which are glazed and others protected by wire netting. The doorways are Gothic. In the south-west tower is the prison with no entrance except through a hole in the roof by which captives and their food were let down. Tradition states an underground passage connects the castle with St. Margaret’s Church, as well as having many hidden vaults. Beside the keep is the ruined chapel with an arched doorway, which has been used as a cowshed. At the side towards the castle is a low built-up archway over which is a slab carved with the symbols of the crucifixion, and having under it the inscription:--“J.P.M.D.S., 1573,” which is supposed to mean Johannes Plunket Miles de Dun-Soghly, 1573. There seems to be no record of the building of the castle. In 1288-89 it is noted that the rent paid for Dunsoghly by Geoffrey Brun was 74s. and fivepence. Nearly two hundred years later (1422) the King granted to Henry Stanyhurst the custody of all the messuages which had belonged to John Finglas to hold rent free during the minority of the heir. Two years later Roger Finglas is forgiven his arrears of Crown rent out of the lands and tenants of Dunsoghly and Oughtermay. Soon after this the land seems to have passed to Sir Roland Plunkett, the younger son of Sir Christopher Plunkett, Baron of Killem, and Lord Deputy of Ireland, 1432, this family being a branch of the Fingall family. In 1446 Sir Rowland Plunkett, of Dunsoghly Castle, was appointed Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, and later his son, Sir Thomas Plunkett, became Chief Justice of Common Pleas.