The Martello Tower situated on the coastline of Balbriggan is the most northerly of twelve towers found all along the coastline of Fingal. These towers were built for defensive purposes following the renewal of war between England and France in 1803.They take their name and design from a tower at Cape Mortello in Corsica. This tower came to the notice of the British Admiralty in 1794 when HMS Fortitude and HMS Juno had attempted to pass the tower off the Corsica coast, and came under serious bombardment. The durability of the design and the low cost to build was a major factor in the Admiralty’s decision to utilise this design in their programme of defence works in Ireland.
Further information about the history of Martello towers in Ireland can be found in the Society’s publication, Balbriggan a History for the Millennuim.
