The O'Carroll of Ely principality in the centre of Ireland in King's County was situated in the ancient province of Munster on the borders of Queen's County and the Lord Marshal of Leinster estates. The Lord Marshal and O'Carroll of Ely
= FIXED PLACE LINE = known as
= THE PALE = documented in 1206 which defined the strategic valley southern border boundary between Celtic Ireland and the Anglo-Norman Settlements within the province of Leinster in Ireland.
The Annals of the Four Masters state that the O'Carrolls of Ely had close family links with the Marshal family and with the English Plantagenet Realm together with Robert and Edward Bruce of Scotland. Isabella Marshal heiress of the great Marshal Irish Estates born 9th October 1200 "folklore mystery surrounds Donoch O'Carroll of Ely and Isabella Marshal whose grandmother was descended from the Prince's of Ireland O'Carrolls of Ely. The Temple Church London is the final resting place of Lord Marshal of Leinster Earl of Pembroke and his first born son William. Richard Marshal 3rd Earl of Pembroke lost his life in Ireland in a fierce battle along side Teige O'Carroll of Ely.
During the civil wars in Ireland William Marshal Lord of Leinster had taken two manors that the Bishop of Ferns claimed but could not get back some years after William's death the Bishop is said to have laid a curse on the family that William's sons would have no children and the great Marshal estates would be scattered each of Lord William Marshal's sons did become the Earl of Pembroke and the Earl Marshal of England but each died without issue. Henry III King of England attended a Temple Church London service to pray for the life of William Marshal the greatest Knight that ever lived.
Leap Castle was a stronghold of the O'Carroll family powerful Irish Princes protecting the strategic southern border between the Celtic Irish War Lords and the Anglo Norman Settlements. The "Bloody Chapel" in Leap Castle is known as a source of violent evil that continues to nurture the spirit of the elemental who is believed to be the returning Carroll from Richard I Coeur de Lion's third Crusade to the holy land in 1190 and the Bishop of Ferns fury. A hidden ubliet (a dungeon) is located in the "Bloody Chapel" a small room with a drop floor prisoners would be pushed into the room to fall through the floor and land on a spike eight feet below and suffer unimaginable pain and misery until their death.
The Shrine of the Book of Dimma with the inscription that translates "Teige O'Carroll King of Eile had me gilt"
Lorcán Ua Tuathail (Saint Laurence O'Toole 1128-1180)
Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton 1150-1228 (Kindred Spirit of William Marshal)
