What is recorded here

Castlefarm consumed most of Molahiff Castle in 1809, leaving only the southeast corner to mark the swallowed tower house. That remaining angle still rises at least fifty-five feet, its thick limestone walls smothered in ivy and punctured by faint second-floor windows. The MacCarthy More family once held the seat, and Valentine Browne repaired it after the Desmond Rebellion, but human ambition reduced their fortress to building stone for a newer house.

In the SW quadrant of a possible ringwork (KE048-038----). Only the SE corner of the tower now stands, the remainder having been demolished in 1809 during the construction of the adjacent Castlefarm House (OSNB, Molahiffy 1, 44). The corner has dressed limestone quoins, and the wall (thickness c. 2.6m) has a base batter. Most of the structure, which stands to at least second-floor level, is heavily encased by ivy. There appears to be a window in the E wall at second-floor level and the side of a window is evident in the S wall at the same height. Molahiff Castle belonged to the Coshmang branch of the MacCarthy More (Bary 1994, 184). After the Desmond Rebellion it was repaired by Valentine Browne (MacCarthy-Morrogh 1986, 127). In the 1840s it was estimated that the surviving SE corner of the castle stood to a height of at least 55ft. [16.76m] (OSL, 202). Molahiffe graveyard (KE048-036----) and church (KE048-03601-) are c. 100m to the S. Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011

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