Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Ballymacaquim Castle is situated about 2.5 miles NW of Abbeydorney. The castle, built in the 15th century, was an outpost of the Fitzmaurice family, and has a commanding view of the surrounding land. This tower, which rises to a height of c 18m, is incomplete as the SE angle which contained the stairway has disappeared. The castle is 10.8m long E-W and 8.7m wide N-S, with walls 2m thick. It was vaulted over the second floor, which can clearly be seen due to the gap in the wall in the SE angle. All the windows are narrow slits, except on the N wall, which contains a much larger window with a pointed head. The doorway, which is on the W wall, is quadrangular. A fireplace opening can be noted on the interior of the W wall. It is built out from the interior of the wall and runs the length of the W wall. In the field to the N and W several mounds can be noticed which may have been defensive features connected to the castle.
The Annals of the Four Masters (1577) record: 'A contention arose between the Earl of Desmond, ie. Gerald the son of James, son of John, and Fitzmaurice of Kerry, namely Thomas, son of Edmond, son of Thomas, and the Earl took Bally-Mic-an-chaim (in Kerry) from Fitzmaurice. The young abbot O'Torna having joined the Earl, was killed in the castle door of Lixnaw, by a ball shot after the Earl had entered the castle, and had there been no other evil done between them than the death of that abbot, the loss would have been great enough. A great number of Fitzmaurice's people were killed and drowned the same day; they carried on this conflict for a considerable time, until at length they made peace, and Bally-Mac-an-chaim, together with his prisoners, were delivered up to Fitzmaurice, with an immense deal of kine and horses.'

The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 1008. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 3 August 2013