Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

The precise location of Dunmoylan Castle and bawn has not been identified within the townland. It was traditionally believed to be located approx. 300m S of Dunmoylan Church (LI019-102001-). Castle of Dunmoylan 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 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 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 [LI018-089002-) 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).
According to the Ordnance Survey Letters of 1840 (OSL vol. 1, 11-2) the traditional site of the castle was 'about three hundred yards [275m] south of Dunmoylan old church (LI019-102001-), the inhabitants shew a spot where it is believed that there was formerly a Court or Castle; but no one living recollects to have seen any portion of its walls standing' (ibid.).
Westropp (1906-7, 244) recorded the following details about Dunmoylan Castle; '1299 Dunmolyn held by Raymond de Valle (Wall) (C.S.P.I). 1568 Wall, or Falltach, of Dunmaoilin, fell in a raid in Kerry (A.F.M.). 1569 It surrendered to the Crown. 1580 After the fall of Askeaton, Pelham slew Ulick, son of Ulick Falltach, of Dunmaolin, who had been blind from his youth (A.F.M.). 1581-3 Hugo Falltach, or Wall, held the "great C[astle]. in a great enclosure or balne [bawn]" built for defence, with a stone wall, very ruinous, a garden, water mill, and a little close in decay (Des. R., 68b). 1588 Ol. Stephenson was granted Don Melline, part of estate of Ullick de Wall, alias the Falltach (Fi. 5242). 1600 The Falltachs were given as host Ol. Stephenson died at Dun Moylin (Inq. Chan., 14b, 20b, 24b); confirmed to his son Ric.(Pat. R., Inq. Chan., Car. I., 206, &c). 1653 G. Aylmer paid £46 for hay for horses of the garrison at Doonmoylen (Acct. R., 8). 1655 The late estate of R. S. granted to S. F. Chamberlain (B.D. 22 ; C.S., p. 85 ; D.S.B., 3). 1661 The loyalty of Marg. Stephenson, widow, of Dromoylin, attested by her son Lt.-Gen. J. Barry (C.S.P.L, 1660-2). 1670 Confirmed to Sir T. Chamberlain (Act Sett.).
The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that Richard Stephenson of 'Doonemoylline' was the proprietor of 'The Castle Mann[o]r and plowland of Doonemoylline' along with 'two mill seates' (Simington 1938, 321). A tower-house like castle standing beside Dunmoylan church is depicted standing in the NE quadrant of Dunmoylan on the 1658 Down Survey map of the Barony of Connello (NLI, MS 718).

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 20 April 2020

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.

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

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.

Nicholls, K.W. (ed.) 1994 The Irish fiants of the Tudor sovereigns during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Philip & Mary, and Elizabeth I, 4 vols. Dublin. Éamonn de Búrca for Edmund Burke Publisher.

AFM - Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters from the earliest period to the year 1616, ed. and trans. John O'Donovan (7 vols., Dublin, 1851; reprint New York, 1966)

Sweetman, H.S. (ed.) 1881 Calendar of documents relating to Ireland. Vol. iv, 1293-1301. Longman & Co. London.

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