Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

In rough patureland and located in the SE corner of a moated site (GA097-051001-). In existence in 1574 when it was in the possession of 'Walter Burke' (Nolan 1901, 112). When initially inspected in August 1984, this poorly preserved rectangular tower house (L 9.1m, Wth >8.5m), which was at least four storeys high originally, had a small almost square projecting turret (L 4.6m, Wth 4m) at its NE corner. The tower had a gentle base-batter and was constructed of roughly cut coursed limestone blocks; a plinth was visible on the N side. The lower portions of the E and S walls (Wth 1.6m, H 3.5m max.), and the S half of the W wall (H 3m) survived. The N half of the W wall and the line of N wall were indicated by grassed-over stony mounds. No architectural features were visible and the interior was rubble-filled. Substantial portions of the turret, partially mantled in ivy, survived. These included the E and S walls along with adjoining parts of the N wall (Wth 0.85-1.1m), all of which survived to a height of four storeys. Each of the three surviving corners was chamfered. Stone vaults existed between ground/1st and 2nd/3rd floors and there was a possible connecting doorway to tower on the 1st floor. Slit windows were centrally placed in the N and E walls on the ground floor: the former had a gun-loop expansion at its mid-point. There were also slit windows on 1st and 2nd floors in the N wall and on 1st floor in the S wall. In October 1991, following the use of explosives, the turret was reduced to a mound of rubble.

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 31 August 2018

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 5/1991).