Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Longford Castle was described in 1840 as follows; 'this castle is about 20 ft. [6m] high and the same wide. There is no account of its founder etc.' (OSNB Oola Parish, 1418). According to O'Donovan (OSL) this castle 'was originally of the same extent and height with the Castle of Oola [LI033A008002-], but it is now destroyed down to the height of about 20 feet' (O'Flanagan 1929, 129).
Westropp (1906-7, 103) recorded the following details about Longford Castle; '1572 Tirrelagh O'Brien held Longhurt C[astle]. (Inq. Exch., 7, 10). 1621 Moriert Mac Brien of Castletown held Longortt (Inq. Chan., 25b). 1625 Pardon for alienation of C[astle].s of Longgort and Williamstown (Pat. R.). 1655 Longford C[astle]. held by Mortagh Mac Bryne and Jas. Butler (C.S., xxiii., p. 3). 1668 Confirmed to Duke of York, 1688 Confiscated (Trustees' Map, 24). 1703 Sold to John White, of Cappagh, County Tipperary. Fabric - A fragment 20 feet [6m]high (O.S.L., 9, 428), fairly well preserved'. Castle standing beside a river is depicted on the 1657 Down Survey map of Coonagh Barony (Hib. Reg.). The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that Morttagh Mc Byrne of Longford, an Irish Papist, was the owner of 'a Castle house and Mill all unrepaired' (Simington 1938, 19).
In level farmyard with moderate views in all directions. According to landowner site of Longford Castle now located under modern milking parlour in farmyard.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 8 December 2020

References

OSNB - Ordnance Survey Name Books. Pro-forma books arranged by Civil Parish for recording townland and other name-forms and compiled in the course of the OS 6-inch survey 1824-1841. The name books also include minor names and incidental references to antiquities. National Archives of Ireland.

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.

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

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.

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1929 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Waterford collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. Bray.