The de Cúellar Armada Trail

A survivor of the The Spanish Armada ships wrecked off the north east coast of Ireland, Captain Francisco de Cúellar recorded events of 413 years ago, in graphic detail. He documents his shipwreck, on Streedagh the subsequent horrors ashore, and his attempts to find hospitality from friendly chieftains (O’Rourke and McClancy) in the then English garrisoned North Sligo Leitrim, as he tried to make his way back to Spain via Antrim and Scotland.

Here at Castletown, the O’Rourkes of Breffni maintained one of their many strongholds in the district. A “dissident” chieftain, Brian O’Rourke offered shelter and succour to the escaping Spaniards for which amongst other “crimes” against the Crown, he suffered the ultimate punishment, he was executed at Tyburn in London, on 3rd November 1591.

“I arrived at his house with great exertion, enveloped in straw and swathed about the body with matting, in such a plight that no one could see me without being moved to great compassion.”


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