Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Formerly situated at the N end of a long drumlin ridge to SE of Cavan Town. Site is now occupied by a fair green. Probably an O'Reilly castle of late 14th-century date, first mentioned in 1427 when it was destroyed by the English. It was apparently rebuilt, as a castle stood here as late as the early 17th century. A map of 1591 depicts it as a large square building with a door in its W wall, an extramural staircase at S, corner turrets at NW and SE, rising above the roofline, and a bawn enclosing several outbuildings. Lewis (1837, vol. 1, 318) recorded vaults and parts of the foundations surviving in the 19th century. However by the time of Davies' visit in 1946 there were only low banks (H 0.75m) remaining, indicating the former line of a roughly square bawn (dims. c. 29m x 29m). There are now no visible remains of castle at ground level. (Bradley and Dunne 1989, 43-4)

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 revision: 11 April 2018

References

Lewis, S. 1837 A topographical dictionary of Ireland, 2 vols. London. Lewis and Co.

Bradley, J. and Dunne, N. 1989 Urban archaeological survey - county Cavan. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.