Ballybricken Court (in ruins) — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

Ballybricken Court rose fifty feet above the Limerick soil, its walls seven and a half feet thick to hold back both rain and rebellion. Donnell O'Heine died there in 1584, leaving his sons David and Edm to divide the surrounding land while the castle itself resisted their sharing. They likely argued in the vaulted lowest chamber, their voices bouncing off stone that had already outlived several families. The tower still stands ruined, preserving the shape of a home that refused to belong to only one brother.

Westropp (1906-7, 91) recorded the following details on Ballybricken Court; 1540 Baile Ibricin, held by Ric., brother of Maoilre Burk of Ballinagard (Rental). 1584 DonnellO'Heine held it at his death; his sons David and Edm, divided the land, but not the C.[astle] (Inq. Chan., Car. L, 96). 1655 Held by Con Clanchy. Shown as a broad tower gabled and battlemented, with a house attached (D.S.A., 22, C.S., xxi., p. 29). Granted to Sir G. Ingoldesbye; his wife was a daughter of James Gould, and his wife, heiress of Sir T. Browne of Hospital, and widow of Alex. Fitton. R. Ingoldesbye of Ballybricken C.[astle] was attainted by the Parliament at Dublin, 1689 (see Act Sett., &c). Fabric - The "Old Court" was 50 feet [15m] high and 16 feet [5m] wide, the walls 7½ feet [2.3m] thick. It had four stories, the lowest being vaulted (O.S.L., 8, p. 34). Castle described by Salter (2004, 62) as a tower 'measuring 11.2m by 8.7m there remain two very ruinous lower stories under a vault. Not much remains of the east wall which contained a spiral stairs in the SE corner and mural chambers of the entrance passage'. Castle depicted on the 17th century Down Survey map of Caherelly parish as a multistorey tower house with two storey high gable ended sixteenth/early seventeenth century house built onto side of tower house adjacent to entrance of castle (NLI, MS 718). Doorway of two storey house in lateral wall facing entrance into tower house with lateral chimney stack rising above roof line of house. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 16 January 2019

Ballybricken Court was held by Richard, brother of Maoilre Burk of Ballinagard, in 1540, and later by Donnell O'Heine, whose sons inherited it in 1584. The site is remembered for its association with Gaelic landholding families in the region during the 16th century.

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