Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Within the W half of a posible moated site (GA097-104001-). A castle existed here in 1574 when it was in the possession of 'Olyverus Roe burke' (Nolan 1901, 121). It is unclear whether the surviving remains of the rectangular two-storey gabled building (>12.3m, E-W; 5.8m N-S) now visible are those of the castle or are those of an ancillary or later building. The remains consist of the E gable (H 5m; T 0.85m) and the adjoining returns of the N (L 3.1m; H 3m; T 0.9m) and S side-walls (L 1m; H 1.5m). No visible trace of the W gable survives. The walls are rubble built and many of the corner stones have been robbed out. Part of a basal plinth is visible externally at the NE corner where a slight base-batter is also discernible. There is a breach (Wth c. 2m at ground level) in the gable wall, which may be the result of collapse but it more likely indicates the former site of an ope, possibly a doorway, at ground level. Above it, at 1st-floor level, there was a window but only the N side of its embrasure survives. The only other surviving architectural feature is a horizontal offset in the masonry which is visible internally c. 1.7m above ground level; it indicates the position of the 1st floor. Traces of another building (GA097-104002-) are visible c. 10m to E of this building. (Cody 1989, 367-9)

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 4 December 2019

References

Cody, E. 1989 An archaeological survey of the barony of Athenry, Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, University College Galway.

Nolan, J.P. 1901c Galway castles and owners in 1574. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 1, 109-23.