What is recorded here

Ballyclogh Ho. is a ruined tower house in County Limerick that changed hands from Bishop de Rupefort in 1336 to Nicholas Lylles by 1655. It stood broken and waste in 1583 before John Copely repaired the rectangular three-storey building in 1810. The castle may have felt like a dangerous gift, passed from church to soldier to owner, each man adding his own shadow to the same walls.

Westropp (1906-7, 208) recorded the following details about Ballyclogh Castle; '1336 Ballynaclochy, in Cluaincheur manor, held by Bishop de Rupefort. 1583 E. oge Lacy, of Knockpatrick, held C[astle]. and fee of Ballynecloghy in Toghe Lismakery. C.[astle] broken and ruinous, with a waste croft or garden (Des. R., 71b; Peyton, p. 89b; Inq. Exch., 11). 1587 It was granted to F. Trenchard (Fi. 5078; Inq. Chan., 5b). 1655 N. Lylles held it (C.S.,p. 69)'. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that Nicholas Lylles of Limerick, English Proprietor, was in possession of a 'Castle and an orchard' (Simington 1938, 309). Ballyclogh House described in 1840 as 'the residence of John Copely, stands here. It is rectangular in form, 3 stories high, and in good repair. It was repaired in 1810 by Mr. Copely' (OSNB Lismakeery Parish, 1246). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 3 December 2020

Ballyclogh Castle was held by Bishop de Rupefort in 1336 and later by E. Oge Lacy of Knockpatrick in 1583. It is remembered for its recorded presence in medieval land holdings and as part of the evolving territorial control in the region during the late medieval period.

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