Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Overlooking White River, on NW-facing slope of low hill which has been extensively quarried for gravel. Only visible remains of castle are two short sections of wall footings: part of south wall (L 4m; H c. 0.4m; Wth 1.1m) and NW corner (4.6m N-S; 1.7m E-W; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 0.5m; Wth 1.7m) of what may been rectangular structure (see plan Donnelly 1994, 152-3), though Westropp noted 'traces of a side turret' (1906-7, 245). West wall stood atop steep fall in ground, and two large chunks of bonded masonry lie short distance down-slope from NW corner; according to Donnelly (ibid.) W wall stood to c. 3m until 'recently demolished by the farmer'. Interior area (c. 8m E-W; c. 8m N-S) noticeably lower (D c. 0.65m) than level ground immediately to E; Westropp (ibid.) notes 'vaults' found 'under it' by former landowner- this might be remains of ground-floor vaulted chamber. Castle, variously called Gortadroma, Monymohill and Moyreen Castle, reported in ruins in 1583 (Westropp ibid.), and probably not subsequently repaired as not mentioned in The Civil Survey (Donnelly ibid.).
Monymohill Castle described in 16th century Desmond Survey as in the possession of 'Hugh Wale alias ffalltaghe a rebel attainted by judgment of High treason, at the times of his entry into rebellion and attainder was similarly seined of the castles vills and lands following which were chargeable lands of the late Earl of Desmond with Shragh and Marte, services for building and repairs of castles, bridges and other charges of the country, being parcels of the canthred or Toghe of Donmoylin viz. the castle of Donmoylin [LI019-243----] which is a great castle with a large enclosure or "Balne" surrounded with a stone wall strongly built for defense; rise and with divers buildings adjacent very ruinous, also with gardens, small closes and a water mill (LI019-278----] similarly in decay, and a watercourse there all worth yearly 1l. 6 s 8d.; lands belonging to same castle in Donmoylin parish 1 quarter, a ruinous castle called Monemoyhell in same parish 1 quarter. The premises were demised to Ollyver Stephenson by lease under the great seal of Ireland dated 27 April 1582 at the rent of 5l. 12s. 2 ½d. Irish, with a proviso to answer any further duties that should be found chargeable on the lands' (Murphy 2013). Castle depicted as a tower-like castle on the 1658 Down Survey map of Connello Barony (NLI, MS 718).

Westropp (1906-7, 244-5) recorded the following details about Monymoyhill or Gortadroma Castle; 'Marked in the Castle quarter of Gortadroma, on the White River. Sometimes called "Moyreen" C[astle]. 1289 Ad. Fleming gave Crosdere and Moyreyne (except Lysgesy, Lysnefant, and Clotherbarwan) to Rob. Maunsel while T. Underwood by charter granted Rathbrile, in Moyrene, in offergus to H. Capella (Plea R., 13, m. 8 and 14, m. 11). 1583 Moneymoyhell, ruinous C[astle]. (Des. R.). 1615 Held by Ol. and, 1623, by Ric. Stephenson (Inq. Exch., Car. L, 91; Inq. Chan., 15b, 20b, 24b, ix., 86). 1655 Granted to Brook Bridges and J. Bourke (B.D.; D.S.B., 3; C.S., p. 85). 1665 To Ol. Lambert. 1688 Forfeited by N. Burke. 1726 Rob. Morgan, of Connegarr, mortgaged part of J. Burke's lands of Munnymoehill (Dub. Reg., 51, p. 217). Fabric - The walls stood in 1840; and Mr. G. Morgan found vaults under it. A fragment with traces of a side turret remain'.

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 21 April 2020

References

NLI, MS 718 - National Library of Ireland, Parish maps with terriers, showing forfeited lands in County Limerick, commonly known as the "Down Survey", executed under the direction of Sir William Petty, 1657, and copied by Daniel O'Brien, 1786.

Murphy, J. A. 2013 The Desmond Survey, unpublished report. CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork College Road, Cork, Ireland - ucc.ie/celt

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

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