Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Located towards the top of a S-facing slope. The earliest reference to the castle is in a deed of 1598 where Gerald Wesley of Dangan leases ‘the castle or principal house… in Garris’ to Thomas Aish of Trym (Griffith 1991, 348). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Vallerian Weisly of Dangan (ME042-009----) owned 354 acres at Garreris in Gallow parish in 1640, and on the premises was ‘a castle’ (Simington 1940, 160). Only part of the circular N tower with fragments of stairs and lights survives together with a portion of the NE wall, but it had no vault. It had three floors as attested by the two-light windows on the NE wall, those at the ground and first floors under square hood-mouldings. A small crest (dims c. 0.4m x c. 0.3m) carved in false relief depicting three gorgets or crescents and a fess or horizontal bar is now in the garden of a nearby house. It has ‘Beati Pacilis’ (blessings of peace?) inscribed in a cursive script on a ribbon around a dove with an olive branch above the crest, which most resembles the arms of the Dillon family.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 13 July 2016

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1940 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. V: county of Meath. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Griffith, M.C. (ed.) 1991 Calendar of Inquisitions formerly in the Office of the Chief Remembrancer of the Exchequer prepared form the MSS of the Irish Record Commission. Dublin, Stationary Office