Castle, Glenmagoo, Co. Kilkenny

Co. Kilkenny |

Masonry Castles

Castle, Glenmagoo, Co. Kilkenny

On the western slopes of Glenmagoo in County Kilkenny, roughly 200 metres east of what locals call the 'new road' between Castlecomer and Ballyragget, lies an intriguing archaeological site that hints at a forgotten chapter of Irish medieval history.

The location sits on a flat terrace surrounded by fairly poor agricultural land, where a raised area measuring approximately 7.6 metres north to south and 7 metres east to west marks what appears to be the remains of a castle. This elevated section occupies the northeast corner of a larger moated site, suggesting this was once a fortified position of some importance.

Local tradition and historical records paint a vivid picture of what once stood here. According to the historian Carrigan, writing in 1905, this was the location of a formidable castle that may have been founded by Mairgréad Ní Gheróid, the celebrated Countess of Ormond. The castle's walls remained partially standing until 1824, when they were finally demolished, though the cellars are believed to survive beneath the surface. The entire complex was originally enclosed within a square rampart and protected by a deep fosse, or defensive ditch; classic features of medieval Irish fortifications designed to withstand siege warfare.

Today, visitors to the site will find little of the castle's former grandeur visible above ground, but the earthworks and subtle changes in elevation still tell the story of this once strategic stronghold. The monument represents both a previously unlocated castle and its associated bawn, or fortified enclosure, making it an important piece in understanding the medieval landscape of Kilkenny and the power structures that shaped this region during the Anglo-Norman period and beyond.

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