Along the coast of
Fingall
early 1900 strong round towers were built by the military under the National Defence Act 1804.
On the
island
of
Corsica
on
the 9th of September 1794
, a British force attacked the French headland of
cape
Martello,
the British military were so impressed by the defence that they built their own towers to defend
England
and
Ireland
.
The forts were positioned about a quarter of a mile apart along the
Dublin
coast. Each tower has a water reservoir and the walls are eight feet thick. The interior had three storeys. The ground floor for holding ammunition, stores and provisions. The first floor - living quarters for the garrisons. 24 -pounder cannon mounted on the top floor; on a traversing carriage. This ensured that the cannon could be pointed in any direction .
The parapet about 4 feet high was where the defenders could fire muskets, loopholes for the discharge of carronades.
The carronade was a deadly weapon at close range, loaded with musket balls, grapeshot, lengths of chain and scrap. The Martello tower floors, instead of having metal nails, have wooden nails because in times of
war a spark could be caused by metal nails and start a fire.
The
Martello
Tower
in Portmarnock on the coast road is seen by many people as they enjoy a walk alongside on the footpath overlooking the
Irish Sea
Fabulously situated and still in ownership of Brenda Nagle, it can now be rented for holidays.
