Who Do You Think You Are?

My daughter and I were creating our own, “Who Do You Think You Are?”

Our ancestors, Michael Woods and his son Archibald Woods were born at Dunshauglin Castle in County Meath, Ireland in 1683 and 1706 respectively.  That seemed like a good place to start. 

I have searched the Internet, mailing lists and message boards and the best references I found to Dunshauglin Castle were in Google Books:

The Irish Flora: Comprising the Phaenogamous Plants and Ferns
By Lady Katherine Bailey Kane
Published by Hodges and Smith, 1833 - 220 page

The following is this from Cecilia L. Fabos-Becker:

[John] Woods had Dunshaughlin, Winter Lodge (both in Meath) and the descendants of his oldest son, acquired Milverton Hall at Skerries, on the coast between Dublin and Drogheda. Descendants live there to this day. Dunshaughlin Castle is now a ruin. It was heavily damaged in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Dunshaughlin Castle, County Meath, is identified as the birth place of Michael Woods, his brothers and sisters, and some of their children, in at least 4 Bible records set down by Michael's and his siblings children.  Therefore this is consistent with the McClenaghan compilation and transcription (he was Parish rector in the very early 1900's for Dunshaughlin Parish) of original parish and family records that the Woods siblings who settled in Virginia in the 1730's and early 1740's...

CommonSense: A Monthly Magazine for Everybody, to Promote Social ..., Volume 8
By E. MacDowel Cosgrave, 1900

Common Sense actually describes the route to take to pass the Castle.  

"One of the prettiest rides near Dublin, and one that is level and dustless, is to ride to Santry, and then bear to the left, crossing the Glasnevin Road, passing the "Clockhouse," the "Piers of Dubbar," riding almost into St. Margaret's, stopping short, and turning to the left at the little house pretentiously labelled on the Ordnance map as " Pass-if-you-oan." This leads past Dunshaughlin Castle. The Ashbourne road is then crossed, and soon the Ratoath road is reached; turning to the left along it. Finglas is passed to the left, and Cardiff's Bridge is reached. Passing through it, and bearing first to the left, and then to the right, the level crossing is reached, and soon Dublin is re-entered by the Cabra road. From the time Santry is left, until the top of the Cabra road is reached, every inch of the way is through delightful country roads, and between hedgerows gay with flowers: and there is no reason to dismount, unless, mishapiy, the level crossing is closed."

The cottage "Pass-if-you-oan," is on the 1901 map for Swords and there does appear to be a castle and grounds along that road. The only problem is that if you compare it with a current Google map, the location is Dunsoghly... not Dunshauglin. But a castle is there today. Unfortunately it has absolutely nothing to do with the Woods family.

Checking the 1900-1 ordnance maps for Ireland, I was able to follow the path described in the article.  You can see it on this Google map.

From what I can follow on Google maps, the actual location is closer to Dublin than Dunshauglin, so I've ruled out the location described in the 1900 book Common Sense.  

Finally there is this 55 year old photograph allegedly taken at Dunshauglin Castle.

Our wonderful guide, Michael Fox, informed me that the original Dunshauglin Castle (and it’s gardens) have been replaced by several stores.  Old ruins don’t last forever.  So rather than returning to the birthplace of my ancestors -- we’ll visit the town of Dunshauglin, Newgrange and the cemetery instead. That'll do.