Castle in Garadice, County Meath

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Located towards the top of a S-facing slope. The earliest reference to the castle is in a deed of 1598 where Gerald Wesley of Dangan leases ‘the castle or principal house… in Garris’ to Thomas Aish of Trym (Griffith 1991, 348). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Vallerian Weisly of Dangan (ME042-009----) owned 354 acres at Garreris in Gallow parish in 1640, and on the premises was ‘a castle’ (Simington 1940, 160). Only part of the circular N tower with fragments of stairs and lights survives together with a portion of the NE wall, but it had no vault. It had three floors as attested by the two-light windows on the NE wall, those at the ground and first floors under square hood-mouldings. A small crest (dims c. 0.4m x c. 0.3m) carved in false relief depicting three gorgets or crescents and a fess or horizontal bar is now in the garden of a nearby house. It has ‘Beati Pacilis’ (blessings of peace?) inscribed in a cursive script on a ribbon around a dove with an olive branch above the crest, which most resembles the arms of the Dillon family.

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record ME049-002

Places near here

Picture notes

Computer-made picture. It does not show this monument.
JP, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Computer-made picture. It does not show this playground.
Willow, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5
Ronnie Nijboer, Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Armorial plaque in GaradiceArmorial plaque · 83 ydComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Armorial plaque in Garadice is a tiny crest with a dove that looks permanently confused by its own olive branch. It whispers 'peace' to anyone who stands too close, which is a bit much for a garden. Stand back, squint, and it looks like a castle.

ExcavationExcavation, miscellaneous · 236 ydComputer-made picture

Explorer Tom Excavation in Garadice was ignored by a bishop who thought it looked too much like a puddle he’d already stepped in. Count the crows, then count them again, because they’re definitely judging your archaeological knowledge and your shoe choice.

Burial in GaradiceBurial · 237 ydComputer-made picture

Field boundary in GaradiceField boundary · 276 ydComputer-made picture

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Children's playground2.1 miComputer-made picture

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KilcockChildren's playground · 3.6 miComputer-made picture

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