Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 292-3) mentions several castles in Callan, though these are difficult to precisely locate. According to Carrigan (ibid. 293), ‘Upon and inside it [Callan] there were several castles. One of these stood on the site now occupied by Mrs. Meany's Grocery and Spirit Establishment; another at the opposite corner of the street, in Mr. James Pollard’s yard’. This suggests that the castle (KK026-010003-) occupied by Meany’s c. 1900 and the castle (KK026-010004-) opposite it, is at the crossroads in the centre of town, one possibly occupying the NW angle and the other located in a yard in the opposite SW angle (Farrelly et al. 1993, vol. 1, 114-15; vol. 2, map 7:3).
A two-storey hipped-roof building currently occupies the NW angle, presenting three bays on West Street and two bays on Bridge Street, with a shop at ground level. It is possible that the current building incorporates medieval fabric.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 8 June 2022

References

Farrelly, J., O'Reilly, B., and Loughran, A. 1993 Urban archaeological survey - county Kilkenny (2 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

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