Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - unclassified
Kilree (kells By.), County Kilkenny, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Kilree (kells By.)
- County
- Kilkenny
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- SMR number
- KK027-073----
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
A castle or fortified house is indicated on the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map of Kells, Co. Kilkenny (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin). It is located in the W portion of the townland and roughly corresponds to the location of the former Kilree House, which is indicated on both the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map and the 1948 revision. The house has since been demolished and is not visible at ground level.
Clark (1903, 216) notes that, ‘of the ancient hill of Kilree few vestiges are to be seen, though in bygone days it was the centre of busy life in the district, four roads met in what was formerly the square in the middle of the baile, where portions of the foundations of a rude castle were traceable a few years since’. Whether this refers to the castle indicated on the Down Survey map is unknown.
Though possibly located at the former Kilree House, the precise location of this castle/fortified house is unknown within the townland.
See attached:
KK027-073----_01 extract from the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map of Kells, Co. Kilkenny (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin)
Compiled by: Jean Farrelly
Date of upload: 23 May 2023