Castle (in Ruins)

The townland of Knockdrin was formerly known as Monelea as depicted on the 1655-9 Down Survey map of Rathconnell parish (NLI, MS 723-4). In 1641 the lands of Monelea belonged to Andrew Tuite who is listed in the Down Survey as an 'Irish Papist'. A medieval castle is depicted standing beside a medieval roadway close to the River Gaine in the N quadrant of the townland. Situated on a ridge in trees in Knockdrin Demesne. A circular-shaped mound (H. 1m) with a central rectangular hollow, roughly lined with stones (diam. 7.8m N-S; 5.8m E-W). Possibly the remains of an ice house or folly. Mistakenly recorded on the revised 1911 ed. OS map as the ruins of a castle. See attached profile of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI. Compiled by: Frank Coyne and Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 9 March 2018