Castle (in ruins)

Situated on a low natural rise of ground in an upland area with extensive views. Described in the Civil Survey 1654-6 (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 287) as an 'old ruined castle wanting repair'. Cormuck mcEgan is listed as proprietor in 1640 (ibid.). The poorly preserved remains of a long, rectangular two-storey building (dims. 15.4m N-S approx.; 8.2m E-W; wall T 1.2m) with crenellated wall-walk constructed with roughly coursed limestone rubble with base-batter. The N wall and the N end of the W wall are destroyed, with wall-footings of a possible destroyed bawn wall (TN0010-046001-) protruding from the base of the SW angle of the building. The original pointed entrance is located at the SE angle at first-floor level. A later doorway was inserted at ground-floor level in the centre of the S wall. The broken slit ope on the W wall at ground-floor level is possibly a later insertion. At first-floor level there is a partially blocked-up pointed single-light window with window seats in the centre of the S wall. A second single-light flat-headed window is located at the N end of the W wall at first-floor level. A crease line is visible in the SW angle at first-floor level where the roof was inserted against the internal walls of the building. All floors were wooden carried on stone corbels, two of which survive on the W wall. There is slight evidence of a crenellated wall-walk at the SW angle. There may have been a wooden fore-building attached to the SE angle as this might explain the fine rendering of the wall visible only on the external face at this point. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008

Cloghkeating Castle was built by the Egan family, an influential Gaelic Irish clan in the region, and was noted as ruined by 1654. It is remembered for its strategic position in upland terrain and as a testament to early Irish clan stronghold architecture.