Bishop Miler Mc Grath & Mc Grath’s Castle.

Born at Altruadin, near Pettigo, Miler McGrath became a Franciscan Friar and later journeyed to Rome and was made Roman Catholic bishop of Down and Connor. Later he became the first Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher and then Archbishop of Cashel in Tipperary. He was a clever man who could read and write in Irish, English and Latin. Because of his change of religion and greedy acquisition of lands and benefices he became unpopular with both Protestants and Catholics. He was of the ruling elite of the Clan Mc Grath who were hereditary overseers of the lands of the penitential island of St. Patrick’s Purgatory. Miler McGrath lived in turbulent times and he maintained his own army of about 200 men at Cashel; most of them Mc Graths, Monaghans and Mc Menamins from the Pettigo area. He was a very avaricious man and managed to control four dioceses and over 70 parishes at various times. Twice summoned to London to Queen
Elizabeth to answer numerous complaints against him he charmed his wayto even more riches. He managed to get possession of the Lough Derg lands  that were confiscated under the Plantation of Ulster and built his castle in the
early 1600s. It is known as Mc Grath’s Castle or Termon Castle. The castle was besieged and captured during the 1641 Rebellion and abandoned soon after.

The castle and lands were sold to the Leslie family of Co. Monaghan who controlled the Pettigo Estate until the early 20th century. He married and had nine children, was considered to be one of the handsomest men in Ireland, was an excellent swordsman, drank to excess, lived to 100 and confounded all his enemies.