Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Annotated 'Site of Desmond Castle' on 1841 ed. OS 6-inch map where it is depicted as a circular shaped area shown with a dotted outline. In 1841 the Ordnance Survey recorded the following about this castle site; 'In the Townland of Tooreen in this Parish is pointed out the site of a castle called the Earl’s Castle, but nothing is now to be seen at the place but a heap of small stones overgrown with moss. Tradition says that the Earl of Desmond had taken refuge for some time in this castle before he was killed at Glennaginty which is also in this parish' (O'Donovan 1983, 64-5). The Ordnance Survey Name Books recorded that 'The site of this Castle is placed on the side of a steep hill, on a Green bench or Cavity about two chains (40m) wide and of a semicircular form. The ruin of the Castle is nothing more now than a heap of small stones about 20 feet [6m] in breadth and overgrown with moss. It was built by the Earl of Desmond' (OSNB, parish of Ballymacelligott, No. 2). No surface remains visible of site of Desmond Castle in the townland of Tooreen (An Tuairín/little paddock), parish of Ballymacelligott, barony of Trughanacmy.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 30 May 2022

References

OSNB - Ordnance Survey Name Books. Pro-forma books arranged by Civil Parish for recording townland and other name-forms and compiled in the course of the OS 6-inch survey 1824-1841. The name books also include minor names and incidental references to antiquities. National Archives of Ireland.

O'Donovan, J. 1983 The antiquities of the county of Kerry. Cork. Royal Carbery Books.