Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

An O'Reilly castle built in the 16th century, reoccupied in the 17th century and according to legend finally destroyed by Cromwell (ITA Survey 1942). Also known as Castle Carrick, it was formerly situated on a low plateau of rock on S bank of Annalee River. A keep once stood here on a mound (H 1.8m) and was surrounded by a roughly rectangular bawn (53m x 32m) with projecting towers at SE and SW corners on landward side. Rock-cut fosses featured on its E (Wth c. 4.2m) and W (Wth c. 5.1m) sides and a narrower and more shallow fosse on S side, where entrance is likely to have been. Bawn rose c. 1.6m above fosses and level of river. No visible remains at ground level. (Davies 1947a, 99-100; Wilsdon 2010, 175-9)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1995). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 22 December 2008

References

Davies, O. 1947a The castles of county Cavan. Part 1. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 11, 74-100.

Irish Tourist Association. Surveys undertaken in the 1940s for the Irish Tourist Association (now Fáilte Ireland) relating to ‘Natural features, antiquities, historic associations etc.' Extracts from these surveys were copied into the Topographical files of the Office of Public Works and these have been incorporated into the Sites and Monuments Record files (National Monuments Service).

Wilsdon, B. 2010 Plantation Castles on the Erne. The History Press, Dublin