Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

On level bluff above the Nore valley, the River Nore is c. 70m to the NW, in pasture. There are good views in all directions. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 199), 'Lismain castle, over the Nore, was almost perfect till 1820, when most of it was taken down. Only a fragment of one of the side-walls now remains. It belonged to a branch of the Purcell family'. Only portion of the N wall (T 1.45m) survives of this building (dims. c. 12m x 7m based on foundations) which was at least four-storeys high and aligned roughly N-S (NNW-SSE). The doorway at ground-floor level in the N wall has been robbed out, it was defended on either side by gun-loops. There are corbels at first, second and third-floor level to carry wooden floors. Surviving features include a flat-headed single light at first and second-floor level and the remains of a window embrasure in the NE angle at first-floor level. There are earthworks (KK009-065002-) in the field surrounding the tower house.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 8 February 2018

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.