Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle

The National Monuments Service's description

According to Orpen (1910, 224), this castle was located 'to the immediate north of the mote' (LF014-071001-). In 1377 the annals recorded that the castle of ‘Lis-ard-abhla was erected by John O’Ferrall, Lord of Annaly’ (AFM, vol. 3, 669). In 1417 ‘Lissardowlin Castle outside the bawn [LF014-071004-] was burned’ (Ann. Conn., 437). Depicted in the townland of Lisnedila on the Down Survey (1655-6) map of Templemichael parish (NLI, MS 719), in the area where the motte is located. In 1891 it was described as ‘a few crumbling old walls at the foot of the moat’ and it was noted that the ‘ruins of the castle ... prove it to have been a large and important erection’ but ‘nearly all the main portions of the structure, which was in a tolerable state of preservation up to some short time ago, have been removed’ (Farrell 1891, 303). By 1910 only the foundations were traceable (Orpen ibid.). Not visible at ground level.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 13 December 2012

References

Ann. Conn. - Annála Connacht, The Annals of Connacht, 1224-1544, ed. A. Martin Freeman (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1944)

Farrell, J.P. 1891 History of the county of Longford. Dublin. Dollard Printinghouse.

Orpen, G.H. 1910 The mote of Lisardowlan, County Longford. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 40, 223-5.

NLI, MS 719 - National Library of Ireland, The parish maps of the Down Survey of Co. Longford attested by W. Petty under date 1657. Copied by Daniel O'Brien. A set of 22 maps with accompanying terriers, 1786-7. Dublin.

AFM - Annála ríoghachta Éireann: Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters from the earliest period to the year 1616, ed. and trans. J. O'Donovan (7 vols., Dublin, 1851; reprint Dublin 1990, de Búrca Rare Books.)