Castle Moyle, Cappoge, Co. Louth

Historical records from 1909 by Stubbs and the Ordnance Survey letters from 1924 both reference this castle, though its exact location remains something of a mystery. The site, also known as Cappuck in the parish of Cappod, presents an intriguing puzzle for historians and archaeologists alike.

What makes this castle particularly elusive is its absence from several key historical surveys. The Down Survey, conducted between 1656 and 1658, which meticulously documented Irish lands following the Cromwellian conquest, shows no indication of a castle at this location in the Barony of Atherdee. Similarly, the Taylor and Skinner map of 1778, typically reliable for recording significant structures along Irish roads, contains no marking for a castle here.

The absence of physical evidence combined with persistent local memory creates a fascinating historical question. Whilst the Hadsor family's connection to the area is documented through oral tradition and some written accounts, the castle itself remains tantalisingly out of reach. Whether it was demolished before the mid;17th century surveys, was too ruinous to merit recording, or perhaps existed in a form different from what we might typically consider a castle, remains unknown. This gap between local tradition and cartographic evidence is not uncommon in Irish history, where many structures were lost during centuries of conflict and change.