The area's official and common Irish language name, Ard na Caithne, means "height of the arbutus" or "height of the strawberry tree".[1][2]Ard na Caithne (formerly anglicised as "Ardnaconnia") was also known in Irish as Iorras Tuaiscirt ("north peninsula") and Gall-Iorras ("peninsula of the strangers").[citation needed]
The area's former English language name, Smerwick, is believed to derive from the Norse (Viking) words smoer and wick meaning "butter harbour".[2]
History
Early Christian history
The early Christian Gallarus Oratory and Mainistir Riaisc monastic site nearby are central archeological and tourist attractions.[citation needed]
After the Holy See pronounced that Elizabeth was not Ireland's legitimate queen, James FitzMaurice FitzGerald and other Irish clan chiefs raised their clansmen in what became known as the Second Desmond Rebellion. While FitzGerald himself was killed in August 1579, in September 1580, a force of 600 Italian- and Spanish-origin mercenaries, combined with some Irish and English Catholics, landed with arms for several thousand men to support the rebellion.[3][2] Commanded by Sebastiano di San Giuseppe, and carrying a banner bearing the coat of arms of FitzMaurice,[citation needed] the force occupied Dún an Óir ('Fort of the Gold') at Ard na Caithne.[3]Dún an Óir was an Iron Agepromontory fort located near Ard na Caithne harbour.
San Giuseppe's force was met by English and Irish Royal Army forces, precipitating the Siege of Smerwick. After a 3-day siege, San Giuseppe surrendered to forces under the command of Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton.[3] Except for 20 or 30 officers, the fort's occupants were all executed immediately following their surrender.[4] Charges for these killings were later brought against Sir Walter Raleigh; he avoided conviction by pleading that he only followed orders from a superior officer.[5]
Harbour
The harbour where Fitzmaurice's invasion force landed was also the landfall of the returning transatlantic expedition of Sir Martin Frobisher in 1578.[6]
