Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Ballinskelligs Abbey (KE097-036----) was the priory of the Arroasian Canons of the Order of St Augustine, located on the W shore of Ballinskelligs Bay. It was founded in 1210, or shortly afterwards, originating from Rattoo in north Kerry. It is recorded that the early monastery of Skellig Michael (KE104A-001----) was transferred, due to the hazardous conditions on the rock, to this location prior to the mid-eleventh century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 192; Smith 1756, 103). The priory retained possession of the Great Skellig and of the alias 'de Rupe Michaelis'.
The priory comprises a number of buildings which exhibit architectural details relating to various periods between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. The 'Castle (in ruins)' noted on the OS maps is located 13m SW of the refectory. Its foundations were intact when described in 1841 (OSL), but by the turn of the century only its NW wall remained (Lynch 1902, 347).
Castle (KE097-003-): The present remains of the this structure, known as the Caisleán Beag, comprise its NW wall and a portion of its SW wall. Both walls average 1.2m thick and measure 3.7m long internally. That at NW features a rectangular ope at ground floor level. This is set in a square, lintelled embrasure which extends almost to ground level. Only the lower levels of the first floor, which is set back from the ground floor, survive. The remaining portion of the SW wall measures .92m internally and has been incorporated into the graveyard boundary. This wall extends c. 2m beyond the NW wall. A great deal more of the building was extant in 1841, when it was described in the OSL. The SW wall measured 4.3m in length and projected 2.7m beyond the SE wall, while the NE wall measured 5.13m in length. Both walls featured a 'battered archway', and a window, similar in form to the surviving one on the NW wall, though taller and narrower, was located in the SE wall. This portion of the building had been destroyed by the turn of the century.

See attached plan of graveyard courtesy of Laurence Dunne

The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 1085. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Laurence Dunne

Date of revised upload: 13 May 2022

References

Walsh, T.J. and O'Sullivan, D. 1949 Saint Malachy, the Gill Abbey of Cork and the Rule of Arrouaise. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 54, 41-60.

Dunne, L. 2012 Archaeological Survey, Ballinskelligs Abbey and Graveyard, Ballinskelligs, Waterville, Co. Kerry. Unpublished report for The Heritage Office, Kerry County Council (SMR file).

Smith, C. 1756 (Reprint 1969) The ancient and present state of the county of Kerry. Cork. The Mercier Press.

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.

Hickson, M.A. 1891 Notes on Kerry topography, ancient and modern. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 21, 44-9, 310-17.

Lynch, P.J. 1902 Some of the antiquities around Ballinskelligs Bay, Co. Kerry. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 32, 321.

O'Sullivan, A. and Sheehan, J. 1996 The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry. Cork University press.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.

Cal. Carew MSS - Calendar of the Carew manuscripts preserved in the archiepiscopal library at Lambeth, 1515-74 [etc.] (6 vols, London, 1867-73)

Cal. doc. Ire. - Calendar of documents relating to Ireland 1171-1307, ed. H.S. Sweetman (5 vols., London, 1875-86).