Ballynacourty House

At the base of the S slopes of Slievenamuck mountain, in gently undulating terrain. Cairns describes how 'in 1573 Sir John Perrot recommended that Ballinacourty, between two ridges in the Glen of Aherlow, should be strengthened to prevent rebels sheltering in Aherlow woods' (Cairns 1987, 12). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) in 'Clonebigg and Ballynacourty... stands an old brocken castle' which in 1640 was under the proprietorship of 'Sr John Magrath of Allevollane Kt Irish Papist' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 23). Ballynacourty House is depicted on the current OS ed., however, the house was burnt in the 1920s and levelled c. 1940, with only the stable yard still standing. The buildings in the yard have been converted into a Bed and Breakfast with guest accommodation. A sketch of Ballynacourty House shows a rambling house which is likely to have been multiperiod in date, probably incorporating the earlier castle. There are blocks of dressed stone in the walls around the stables and some chamfered dressed stone in the road front boundary wall which is rubble built. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

Ballynacourty House was recommended for fortification by Sir John Perrot in 1573, likely due to its strategic location in the Glen of Aherlow. It is remembered for its potential role in 16th-century military planning during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.