Ballynagarde Ho.

Westropp (1906-7, 90) recorded the following details about Ballynagarde Castle and bawn (LI022-051005-); '1320 Probably Wallygard in Carnarthy (see 39, supra). 1540 Baile na ceeard, estate of Maoilre Burke (Rental). 1567 Held by Ulig Bourke (Fi., 1050). 1583 Ballynogerd C[astle] by W. Bourke (Des. R., 27). In 1587, his son Edmond entailed it on his sons Walter and John (Inq. Chan., Car. I., 53b). 1632 This Walter settled it on his sons Walter, Theo., and Edm., and died 1633 (lb. 111). Theo, was transplanted, 1653. He had married Marg. Lysaght, and owned the C[astle] 1655 (C.S., xxi, p. 35). 1653 Capt. Faithful Chapman held C[astle]. (Acct. Bk.). 1680 Dyneley (loc. cit.) sketched it, and shows a peel tower four stories high. He tells how a daughter of the Bourkes sprang from a window 16 yards high to escape a forced marriage. "She afterwards married the man she so avoyded, and lived happily." It belonged 1680 to John Croker, J.P., in whose family it since continue'. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that Theobald Borke of Ballinagard, an Irish Papist, was the owner of Ballinagarde which contained 'a Castle Bawen, two stone housses and a Mill (LI022-264----)' (Simington 1938, 82). Tower house with bawn and stone houses drawn in 1681 by Thomas Dineley (NLI MS 392). Ballynagarde House described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) as a; 'Detached five-bay two-storey over basement country house, built in 1774, having central three-bay breakfront and adjoining two-bay two-storey block to north-east elevation and single-storey extension to south-east. Now in a state of ruin. Roofless. Remains of two-storey outbuildings with rubble limestone walls to rear of site, having segmental-headed arch with red brick voussoirs. Remains of walled garden with curved corner walls to site' (www.buildingsofireland.ie; NIAH Reg. No. 21902226). See attached drawing of 'Ballinegarde Castle' by Thomas Dineley C. 1681 (https://ttce.nuigalway.ie/irelandillustrated/?ttce_function=5&object_type=image&id=ii_image_1375095703) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 4 December 2020

Ballynagarde Castle was held by the Burke family in the 16th century, as evidenced by a 1540 rental record referring to the estate of Maoilre Burke. The site is important as a medieval stronghold associated with the prominent Burke dynasty in the region.