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Castle Sites in Offaly
- By OHAS
- Published 09/1/2007
- Archaeology
DURROW DEMESNE
OS 8:12:3 (916,235) Not Indicated OD 200-300 23178, 23069
Castle (site) Situated in pasture-land to W of Durrow monastic site (652)
and immediately S of Durrow Abbey House. The Annals of Loch Ce record
that Hugh de Lacy while reviewing his completed 'castle' of Durrow in
1186, was murdered by the foster son of O Catharnaigh of Munterhagan.
A subsequent reference mentions the completion of a castle by the English
at Durrow in 1214 (Ann. Clon.., 227). The 'castle ' of 1186 is likely
to have been the motte (812) which is situated to S of Durrow Abbey House
and it is possible that a stone castle was erected on or near it c.1214.
Rev. Sterling de Courcy Williams (1899, 252) was of the opinion that the
castle stood to the N of the motte. The abbey and the lands of Durrow
were granted to Nicholas Herbert in 1561 and in 1567 having endured 'daily
robberies and spoils' he stressed the importance of building 'strongholds
and castle well manned' in order to defend the property. In return for
a fee farm he offered to build two 'warrlyke castle' for himself and his
two sons which Elizabeth I stipulated he erect within two years (Loeber
1991, 13)
8:30(02) 4-6-93
ERRY (Maryborough)
1OS 8:6:5 'Castle (in ruins)' OD 200-300 22584, 23200
Castle (site) Situated in pasture-land S of the town Clara. Part of the
estate of Edward MaGeoghegan described in 1611 as including a 'ruinous
castle, mill and two ploughlands'. It subsequently passed to Sir Edmund
Fitz-Gearld after MaGeoghan was slain in rebellion. In 1621 the Erry estate
with its ruined castle was granted to Charles Lambert (Loeber Survey 1988).
The field in which the site lies was in a meadow at time of last visit
which obscured its low wall-footings. An earlier report (ITA Survey 1942
) described a large rectangular area (dims. 35m E-W x 40m N-S) enclosed
by an earthen bank and an external fosse within the S half of which the
poorly preserved wall-footings of a castle were visible.
8:18(01) 25-6-93
FADDAN MORE
OS 14:14:3 (4132,151) 'Faddanmore Castle (site of )' OD 100-200 20701,22322
Castle (site) Situated in low-lying pasture-land N of Belmont village.
A Mac Coghlan stronghold built c. 1500 and first mentioned in the annals
in 1520 (AFM., vol. 5, 1520). It was held intermittently by O'Madden c.
1691 and disposed to the Earls of Cork and Arran in the period after the
rebellion. Mentioned in the will of Daniel Coghlan in 1663 (Loeber Survey
1988). No visible remains at ground level. (Cooke 1875, 335-9; O'Flanagan
1933, vol. 1, 58-9; ITA Survey 1942)
14:26 23-11-93
FRANCKFORT
OD 45:10:4 (306,191) 'Frankfort Castle' OD 300-400 20616, 18523
Castle (site) Situated on pasture-land N of the village of Dunkerrin.
Identified as O'Carroll's castle of Dunkerrin which was by 1666 was in
the ownership of Thomas Francks. In 1740 it was the property of Francis
Rolleston (Cooke 1875, 223) The present remains at 'Franckfort Castle'
are of 18th/19th-century date and include a bawn incorporating an earlier
datestone of 1732 and a moat about about the site which is of the same
period. No visible remains of medieval buildings.
45:45 12-4-94
GARBALLY (Ballyboy By.)
OS 24:9:1 (74,264) 'Garbally Castle (in ruins)' OD 200-300 22298, 21813
Castle (site) Situated in pasture-land immediately W of Idle Corner crossroads.
An earlier report (ITA Survey 1942 ) suggested that this site was possibly
a tower house of the 16th century. It was in the owership of James Griffin
in 1641 (Loeber Survey 1988).
24:26(01) 28-6-93
GLENACURRAGH
OS 38:12:3 (864,300) OD 400-500 21196,19923
Castle (site) Situated in pasture-land and shown on both first and current
OS eds. adjoining the NW end of the later 'Glenacurragh Castle' house.
The Down survey barony map of Ballybritt 1657 shows a ruined gabled house
in the townland. No visible remains of this structure remain at ground
level.
38:13 18-2-94
GORTEEN (Kilcoursey By.)
OS 2:9:4 (51,174) Not Indicated OD 200-300 22260, 23638
Castle (site) Situated the village of Tober. No visible remains at ground
level.
2:15 29-6-93
GORTEEN (Kilcoursey By.)
OS 2:13:4 (51,174) 'Gorteen Castle' OD 100-200 22320, 23550
Castle (site) Situated in pasture-land SSE of the village of Tober with
Gorteen House immediately W and Kilmanaghan church and graveyard (672)
to SSW. AN early 17th century map of 'Fox's Country' indicates a castle
in this townland (Loeber Survey 1988). No visible remains at ground level.
2:26(01) 29-6-93
KILCUMMIN
OS 14:9:6 (184, 162) Not Indicated OD 100-200 20459, 22332
Castle site Situated in pasture-land. The site of the castle is now occupied
by Kilcummin House. In a letter to Lord Deputy St John concerning the
projected plantation of Delvin Mac Coghlan, dated 1620, Mathew de Renzy
described the ruined Kilcummin Castle, then in the possession of Sir John
Mac Coghlan, as having been built by the English and 'ruinated by Art
mac Cormac [Mac Coghlan]' (Mac Cuarta 1987, 176). No visible remains at
ground level.
14:48 23-11 -93
