What is recorded here

Corraun Castle stands as a three-storied tower house on a low terrace above the Toormore River, its rectangular frame still holding large window openings despite heavy decay. Ivy smothers the mortared stone and rubble buries the south wall, hiding the doorway that may have faced the west. The ruins remain fenced in pasture near an older motte and burial sites, waiting for someone to remember why they were built.

In pasture at the W edge of a low terrace (on the 50’ contour) overlooking the broad Toormore River which flows N c. 35m to the W. Depicted and labelled ‘Carn Castle’ on the first edition (1837) of the OS 6-inch map but named ‘Corraun Castle’ on the later, Cassini edition (1920) of the map. The poorly preserved and totally ivy-clad remain of a three-storied rectangular structure (int. L 15m N-S; Wth 7.5m E-W) is built of regularly coursed mortared masonry. The N gable wall (wall T 2.5m) contains a large centrally placed window embrasure (H 2m; Wth 2m) at ground-floor level and narrow opes are visible on its first and second floor levels with a wider window opening centrally placed at second-floor level. The E sidewall wall is collapsed (L c. 4m) at its S end and contains a window embrasure (H 1.9m; Wth 2.05m) at its N end which has a partly damaged slightly arched vaulted roof and a splay on the S side of the window ope. Above this embrasure and slightly to the S is a similar one and there is a wider window opening at second-floor level. None of S gable wall can be made out as whatever survives of its lower courses is concealed by collapsed rubble (H 2m) and vegetation. Only a short section of the W sidewall at its N end survives and this wall may have contained the entrance doorway as one is not obviously visible elsewhere. The ruins are fenced off with post-and-wire and later field walls run off the monument at the NW, NE and SW corner angles. An earlier motte (MA070-109----) stands c. 70m to the NE and the site of a possible ‘Abbey’ (MA070-111001-), a Children’s Burial Ground (MA070-111002-) and a graveyard (MA070-111003-) lie c. 160m to the ESE. Date of visit: 27-9-2025 Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Leo Morahan

Carn Castle, Corraun is a medieval stone castle, likely built in the 15th or 16th century by a local Gaelic family, possibly the MacCarthy Reaghs or a related lineage. It is remembered as an example of early Irish castle architecture and for its strategic position overlooking the Toormore River.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.