What is recorded here

Corgrig Castle was a large Geraldine tower house in County Limerick, reduced to two fallen masonry blocks straddling a hidden stream before the mid-seventeenth century. One block still holds a wide wall press, perhaps shaping bread, cheese or butter for the household that once watched the water below. The Trenchard name appears repeatedly around it, suggesting a family proud enough to build high and stubborn enough to keep the place through change.

In area of dense overgrowth. Two blocks of fallen masonry, lying on either side of culverted stream, only visible trace of castle described by Westropp as 'the lower part of a very well-built tower, hardly 10 feet high' (1906-7, 241). Block on W side of stream (6m x 3m x 1.6m) contains wall press (H 0.55m; Wth 1.5m; D 0.35m); second block (7m x 6m x 1.25m) on E side of stream. Geraldine castle, described in 1583 as a 'large and excellent castle' (ibid.); fell into ruins in mid-17th century (Donnelly 1994, vol. 2, 84-5). Westropp (1906-7, 241) gave the following details on Corgrig Castle; '1540 Don. Gow, Constable of the Earl at Corrugraige, used to take 100 oysters from each boat going to Limerick (Inq. xxxviii Hen. VIIL). 1569 C. surrendered. 1570 held by Rev. D. O'Cahissy (Inq. Exch, 12). 1579 The Earl held Cathergony or Corgraig (Inq. Exch, 11). 1583 The large and excellent C[astle]. called Corgragg (Des. R, 11b). 1587 C[astle] granted to W. Trenchard. The extent of the Manor of Corgraige, in 1587, was from the river of Loughill to Ballynash, to Dysert, Ballyestine, Creeve, Dunmoylan, and Monemihane (Fi. 5078). 1600 Carew camped before Corgrage C[astle]. of the late Master Trenchard; the Irish surrendered, and it was given to Oliver Stephenson (Pac. Hib, i, p. 123). 1610 E. Trenchard held it (and the Manor of Mount Trenchard or Corgraige), except 15 acres belonging to Knockpatrick Church; he gave land to Ric. Gill for services to his father (Inq. Chan, 5b, &c). 1655 J. Trenchard held the ruined C[astle] (C.S, p. 94). It was held about 1690 by a Yorkshire family named Palmes, and at the close of the eighteenth century by the Griffin family, of whom was the poet Gerald Griffin'. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that John Trenchard was the owner of the lands in Carrorage which contained 'a ruined castle' (Simington 1938, 327). Compiled by: Denis Power Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 13 May 2020

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