Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - unclassified
Ballymacthomas, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ballymacthomas
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- SMR number
- KE029-215----
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Folklore collected from Nohoval School in Scart recorded the following tradition about this castle site; 'There are four castles in the parish of BallyMcElligott; all these castles were owned by the McElligotts. There is one castle at Bally Carthy [KE038-043----] the other is at Bally McThomas; there is another at Ara-Bella and there is a castle at Bally Mullen near Tralee' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0444, Page 273; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706345/4704443/4778812?pageNum=273). In 1942 the ITA Survey recorded the following details about Ballymacthomas Castle; 'about a mile away to the West on the Tralee Killarney road. About ten feet high of three walls remains here. The Castle is on the roadside and apparently uncared for' (ITA Survey). The precise location of a possible castle in Ballymacthomas (Baile Mhic Thomáis) within the parish of Ballyseedy, barony of Trughanacmy has not been identified, and it is doubtful if there ever was a castle within this townland. The schools folklore and the ITA Survey may be referring to Bealagrellagh Castle (KE039-004----) which is located in the adjoining townland to the SE of Ballymacthomas.
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 27 May 2022
References
Irish Tourist Association. Surveys undertaken in the 1940s for the Irish Tourist Association (now Fáilte Ireland) relating to ‘Natural features, antiquities, historic associations etc.' Extracts from these surveys were copied into the Topographical files of the Office of Public Works and these have been incorporated into the Sites and Monuments Record files (National Monuments Service).