Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight terrace on land rising steeply on the E side of the Nore river valley, in rolling grassland. There are good views to the N, S and W, but the view E is impeded by rising ground.
The OS Letters (1839) describe the castle as consisting of, 'The western wall of Shanganny Castle, to the length of twenty six feet [c. 8m], and height of twenty feet [6m], remains in the same townland' (O'Flanagan ed. 1930, vol. 1, 26 (9)). According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 197), 'The townland formerly belonged to the Earls of Ormond, but, for a long time past, it has been in the possession of the Bryan family. There was a castle here, on the roadside, near the P.P.'s house. Its ruined walls were taken down in the memory of people still living. Nothing is know of its history'.
There is no visible trace of the castle at ground level. However, it appears to have been located on a terrace (max. dims. 25m N-S; 20m E-W; D 0.3-0.5m) cut into hillside. There are wall-footings (L 10m; H 0.3m; T 1m) running E-W at the S side. S of the terrace there are traces of a trackway.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 18 December 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.

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1930 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Kilkenny collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. Bray.