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Baltimore- Dún na Séad the eastern side of Roaring Water Bay (Loch Trasna) or
“fort of the jewels” Carbery’s Hundred Isles. Lough Hyne, located only 5 km
(The name of the O’ Driscoll Castle) from the town is Ireland’s first marine nature reserve.
One of the most notable landmarks in the area is the 50
The name Baltimore is an anglicisation of the Irish ft white stone construction of the Baltimore Beacon,
Baile an tí mór or “town of the big house”. The first also known as Lot’s Wife or “pillar of salt”.
records refer to Baltimore as a seat of one of Ireland’s Due largely to the number and variety of shipwrecks in
most ancient dynasties, the once mighty Corcu Loígde, the bay, Baltimore also has also became a very popular
site of former Kings of Tara and Kings of Munster. venue for scuba diving. These include a Second World
In ancient times Dún na Déad was served as a sanctuary War submarine (U-260), the bulk carrier Kowloon
for Ireland’s Druidic class. The placename is associated Bridge and the Alondra from 1916.
with the ancient traditional festival of Bealtaine. www.baltimore.ie
Today Baltimore is the main ferry port and a great place Seanfhocail (Old Saying)
from which to explore Sherkin Island, Cape Clear Island, Is treise Dia ná dóchas
God is stronger than hope.
The Sack of Baltimore
Seanfhocail (Old Saying)
The sea brought Pirates from the African
coastal town of Algiers one balmy summer’s Is fearr beagán cabhrach ná mórán trua
night in 1631, the locals were rudely awakened: A little help is better than a lot of pity.
On the night of June 17th 1631, two ships from
Algiers arrived and anchored at Baltimore, this
quiet coastal town. They ransacked the entire town
and took away all 163 souls the entire population
of the town – back to North Africa. It has been
noted that a number of the inhabitants of North
Africa have red hair and blue eyes. Historians
of the 19th Century have claimed that they are
descendants of captives from Ireland. However,
with the possible exception of five people, all of
the hostages taken from Baltimore on that fated
night, were in fact English. Baltimore was then a
“planted” town occupied by settlers. The leader of
the Baltimore expedition was in fact a dutchman!
“All, all asleep within each roof along that rocky
street,
And these must be the lovers with gently gliding feet.
A stifled gasp! A dreamy noise! The roof is in a
flame.
From our their beds and through their doors rush
maid and sire and dame
And meet upon the threshold stone the gleaming
sabre’s fall
And o’er each black and bearded face the white or
crimson shawl,
The yell of “Allah!” breaks above the prayer adn
shriek adn roar-Oh, Blessed God, the Algerine is
Lord of Baltimore”
The Sack of Baltimore written some 200 years after
the event by Thomas Davis.
From “The Atlantean Irish” by Bob Quinn, page 69
32
“fort of the jewels” Carbery’s Hundred Isles. Lough Hyne, located only 5 km
(The name of the O’ Driscoll Castle) from the town is Ireland’s first marine nature reserve.
One of the most notable landmarks in the area is the 50
The name Baltimore is an anglicisation of the Irish ft white stone construction of the Baltimore Beacon,
Baile an tí mór or “town of the big house”. The first also known as Lot’s Wife or “pillar of salt”.
records refer to Baltimore as a seat of one of Ireland’s Due largely to the number and variety of shipwrecks in
most ancient dynasties, the once mighty Corcu Loígde, the bay, Baltimore also has also became a very popular
site of former Kings of Tara and Kings of Munster. venue for scuba diving. These include a Second World
In ancient times Dún na Déad was served as a sanctuary War submarine (U-260), the bulk carrier Kowloon
for Ireland’s Druidic class. The placename is associated Bridge and the Alondra from 1916.
with the ancient traditional festival of Bealtaine. www.baltimore.ie
Today Baltimore is the main ferry port and a great place Seanfhocail (Old Saying)
from which to explore Sherkin Island, Cape Clear Island, Is treise Dia ná dóchas
God is stronger than hope.
The Sack of Baltimore
Seanfhocail (Old Saying)
The sea brought Pirates from the African
coastal town of Algiers one balmy summer’s Is fearr beagán cabhrach ná mórán trua
night in 1631, the locals were rudely awakened: A little help is better than a lot of pity.
On the night of June 17th 1631, two ships from
Algiers arrived and anchored at Baltimore, this
quiet coastal town. They ransacked the entire town
and took away all 163 souls the entire population
of the town – back to North Africa. It has been
noted that a number of the inhabitants of North
Africa have red hair and blue eyes. Historians
of the 19th Century have claimed that they are
descendants of captives from Ireland. However,
with the possible exception of five people, all of
the hostages taken from Baltimore on that fated
night, were in fact English. Baltimore was then a
“planted” town occupied by settlers. The leader of
the Baltimore expedition was in fact a dutchman!
“All, all asleep within each roof along that rocky
street,
And these must be the lovers with gently gliding feet.
A stifled gasp! A dreamy noise! The roof is in a
flame.
From our their beds and through their doors rush
maid and sire and dame
And meet upon the threshold stone the gleaming
sabre’s fall
And o’er each black and bearded face the white or
crimson shawl,
The yell of “Allah!” breaks above the prayer adn
shriek adn roar-Oh, Blessed God, the Algerine is
Lord of Baltimore”
The Sack of Baltimore written some 200 years after
the event by Thomas Davis.
From “The Atlantean Irish” by Bob Quinn, page 69
32
