What is recorded here

Herbert Moghan and later Stephenson families held Ballyvoghan through rebellion, lease and death before ruin took the top rooms. The tower still stands twenty-five feet high with walls nearly two feet thick, its ground-floor arch unbroken while the upper vault has collapsed into shadow. A murder-hole once guarded the stair entrance, and a latrine still opens from the second storey, preserving the small cruelties of domestic life inside a military shell.

Ballyvoughan Castle described in 1840 as this castle 'measure on the inside twenty four feet [7.3m] by nineteen feet six inches [6m] and its walls are twenty five [7.6m] in height and five feet eight inches [1.7m] in thickness, but they were originally much higher. The arch over the ground floor of this Castle still remains' (O'Flanagan 1929, 26). Westropp (1906-7, 246) recorded the following details about Ballyvoghan (Baile Uí Bhuacháin) Castle; '1582 Edm. f. Morrice Hubert, of Balivochan, pardoned (Fi. 3842). Ger. Hurbert rebelled with Desmond (Inq. Exch, 54 Peyton, 113b). 1611 Held by Ol[iver]. Stephenson, who enfeoffed Jas. Walsh and others intrust (Inq. Chan, 55, ix, 62). 1633 T. Stephenson, of Ballywoghan, died (Funeral Ent, v, p. 38). 1655 Late estate of Ric. Stephenson (C.S, p. 84). 1736 Rob. Morgan, of Callow, leased land to Ric. Stephenson, of Ballywogan (Reg. Dub.). Fabric - A tower 24 feet [7.3m] by 19½ feet [6m], walls 5 feet 8 inches [1.7m] thick, with an under-vault, and 25 feet [7.6m] high. It was locally Baile ui Buadachan in 1840 (O.S.L, 9, p. 74), suggesting the ancient name Buadhachan occurring among the Eoghanachts. The older form, however, suggests the "Vaughan" family. Morrish Moghan or Vaughan was of Kilbradran, 1619 (Inq. Chan, ix, 67). A family named Boohen recently lived in Kilmeedy'. Ballyvoghan Castle described by Salter (2004, 66) as follows; 'A wing 3.8m wide projecting 2.4m at the east end of the south wall of this tower measuring 11.1m by 11.3m contains at second storey a latrine reached off the much damaged straight flights of stairs rising in the south and east walls. Nothing now survives above the vault over the second storey, which has a mural room in the SW corner, originally with a murder-hole covering the entrance (now blocked) below it'. Classified by Donnelly (1999, 26, 37) as a Type 2 tower house which consists of a castle with turret or side-tower. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 8 December 2020

Ballyvoughan Castle is believed to have been built in the 15th or 16th century by a local Gaelic family, possibly the O'Donnells or a related clan. It is remembered as a rare example of a small but well-preserved tower house in County Clare, reflecting the defensive architecture of the early modern Irish landscape.

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