Castle - ringwork

The National Monuments Service's description

In level poorly drained pastureland, c. 100m to the NNE of Meelick friary (GA108-124) and the possible site of a medieval borough (GA108-234----). Prior to drainage works on the river Shannon, this ringwork stood right on the W bank of the old course of the river. It consists of a well-preserved large irregularly shaped platform (53m NE-SW; 40m NW-SE) which is defined by an earthen bank from SE through S to N; elsewhere a scarp forms the enclosing element. There is an entrance gap (Wth 10m) at SW, where the bank splays slightly outwards with possible traces of an approach ramp externally. A small roughly circular depression (diam. c. 3.5m) is visible in the interior to the E of centre. A smaller earthwork (GA108-124003-) lies immediately to the W. According to Madden (1902, 21), the monument was ‘surrounded by tall and stately trees’ but these have since been removed. Possibly the site of the 13th-C de Burgo castle (Sweetman 1999, 9) but see also GA108-124009-. (CUCAP AVN 93)

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Updated by: Olive Alcock

Date of revised upload: 10 December 2019

References

Madden, T.M. 1902 The O'Maddens of Silanchia. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 2, 21-33.

Sweetman, D. 1999 The medieval castles of Ireland. Cork. The Collins Press.

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com