Battery

The National Monuments Service's description

Beagh Castle (LI003-002---) stands directly atop short cliff which forms part of S shore of Shannon estuary, a short distance W of Beagh Quay. Rectangular four-storey high tower house with 18th/19th century stone vaulted blockhouse on west side stands in N quadrant of a poorly preserved 19th century courtyard (LI003-002007-). Built onto W wall of tower house is a single storey structure divided into three vaulted apartments; at foot of N wall is level platform built over creviced cliff face. This stone vaulted blockhouse is the remains of an artillery battery covering the Shannon estuary during the Napoleonic Wars (Spellissy 1989, 242; Donnelly 1994, vol. 2, 49). The rectangular-shaped stone vaulted blockhouse or bombproof barrack acted as a defensible guardhouse with accommodation on the ground floor and with artillery guns overlooking the Shannon estuary on top of the vaulted roof. The S side of the courtyard wall has been replaced by a row of cottages and outbuildings possibly ranging in date from the 17th to 19th centuries (LI003-002001-/002-) (Ní Cheallacháin 2008, 1).
Beagh Castle was probably built by the Knight of Glin (Fitzgerald family) who held this land in the 16th century until 'confiscated and granted in 1578 to Sir W. Drury' (Westropp 1906-7, 155). The Civil Survey of 1654-56 recorded that Major General Sir Hardress Waller was in possession in the two townlands of 'Beahy and Ballynehagulshy' of a 'ruinous Castle, two good tenements, or dwelling houses, and 15 Cottages one Salmon weare Seate on the River of Shannon' (Simington 1938, 359).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 15 November 2018

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1938 The civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. IV: county of Limerick, with a section of Clanmaurice barony Co. Kerry. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Donnelly, C.J. 1994 The Tower Houses of County Limerick, 3 vols, unpublished Phd thesis, Queens University, Belfast

Westropp, T.J. 1906-7 The ancient castles of the county of Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 54-264.

Ní Cheallacháin, C. 2008 Report on Phasing Beagh Castle, Ballysteen, Co. Limerick. Unpublished report, O'Callaghan Architects, Limerick Co. Co., Planning Ref. No. 08/1901. Limerick.

Spellisy, S. 1989 Limerick, the rich land. The Celtic Bookshop.