It has been quite
busy of late, and I've neglected the blog so my resolution is to try little and
often (well monthly at least!) so happy Christmas all who take the time to read
this, I am always amazed at the geographical spread.
Here is a small note
on Sir Thomas Colclough
Though Her Majesties (H.M) late letters for an extraordinary care to be had of the Fort of Duncannon, bearing date the last of June, came not to me till the 27th of August, yet before the receipt of that direction from her Highness I was so careful of that fort of Duncannon as I moved it twice in Council how it might be provided for, and therefore charge was given to Sir Thomas Colcloghe a gentleman of living hard by it, upon any sudden occasion to vittle (provide provisions - food) and man it, and the like to the Mayor of Waterford least he should fail thereof, but since the receipt of H.M.'s letters we have committed the oversight of that Fort to Sir John Dowdall, with a charge to H.M. of 30 warders till H.M.'s further pleasure be known. So Sir Thomas was of sufficient status and loyalty to be trusted with part of the defence of Waterford from the Irish, the Spaniards and the Catholics, of course the Armada still fresh in the memory and the Anglo-Spanish conflict would fester on until 1605. On or about the 11 Sept., 1595, Paul Sherlock, Mayor of Waterford, who had temporary charge, delivered up the Fort of Duncannon with all the Ordnance and Implements, 6 Barrels of Powder, 211 lb. of lead, 25 Pikes, and 4 Partisans (in this context possibly irregular military men, users of a Halbert or Halberd a pole type weapon with a sharp point below which was a form of axe used two handed - JC 2014), to Sir John Dowdall, Kt., a George Noell was then nominated as Constable of the fort, but not having been ratified by the Privy Council, this Captain George Noell was appointed Constable of the Fort by the Lord Deputy, he was, on the 12 July, 1597, promoted Captain and appointed to a Foot Company. Strengthening and garrisoning of Duncannon together with the steps taken for the protection of the town of Waterford, and the fortifying of the Passage and the Rock greatly would have impressed the (loyal to the crown, not the native Irish) Citizens of that town with the resources and determination of the Government to prevent any of those places falling into the Enemy's, the Gael's, hands. Waterford was intensely Roman Catholic…
Thus Sir Thomas
Colclough was of sufficient value , had undoubted loyalty, and unerringly
adhered to the new state religion to be trusted with albeit briefly, with the
some of the defence of a strategic port in Ireland.
