The young chieftain, armed with two great sabres of equal size, proceeded to his uncle’s stronghold, and presenting himself before him, demanded satisfaction. In the duel which followed both combatants were killed, and it is said no grass grows in their footsteps on the rock until this day.
The old well is still shown, and if two friends visit it together one is said to die within the year.
There seems to be no historical record of the fortress ever having been in possession of the O’Byrnes.
| Authorities Consulted. |
| Grose, “Antiquities of Ireland.” |
| O’Byrne, “History of the Queen’s County.” |
| MS. Ordnance Survey. |
| Comerford, “Kildare and Leighlin.” |
| Marquis of Kildare, “Earls of Kildare.” |
| Joyce, “Irish Names of Places.” |
| State Documents. |
| State Papers. |
| Carew MSS. |
| Parliamentary Gazetteer. |
| “Lea Castle, Queen’s Co.,” in Dublin Penny Journal. |
| Lord Walter FitzGerald, “Kilkea Castle,” in Journal of Kildare Archæological Society. |
| Miss French, MS. |
LEAP CASTLE
The ancient stronghold of the O’Carrolls, of Ely-O’Carrol, is situated in the parish of Aghancon, in the Barony of Ballybritt, King’s County, about five miles south-east of Birr.
Its former name of Leim-Ui-Bhanain denoted “The Leap of O’Banan,” and it is still known as “The Leap” in the district.
There are several legends to account for its designation. One is that two brothers came to the rock on which the castle is built, and they decided that whichever of them survived, after leaping to the ground below, should erect the stronghold. One of the two was killed by the jump.
Another story of a leap is told of a period long after the castle was built. Sometime during the sixteenth century the O’Carrolls’ fortress was besieged by the English forces, and in a sortie the garrison took prisoner a young Captain Darby, who was with the attacking party. The room where he was imprisoned in the castle is still shown. The daughter of the chief was deputed to carry him his food, which was delivered through a hole in the wall. But the young Englishman made good use of his slender opportunities by winning the heart of the Irish maid, so that she connived at his escape by unbarring his prison. When running down the stone stairs which led to the cell in which he had been confined, he met her brother coming up, who raised the alarm regarding the escaping captive. Nothing daunted, young Darby turned and