What is recorded here

Maidstown Castle stood as a square tower with fifty-foot embattled walls, swallowing half its structure into a later dwelling while preserving a five-story staircase. John Fox owned the stronghold in 1641, but Captain Ormsby held it by 1660 before it passed to the Gubbins family. Only the southern half remains today, propped by a sloping buttress beside a modern house that consumes the eastern extension.

Ballyvenoge (Baile Bheanóg) Castle (Westropp 1906-7, 171) in the townland of Maidstown (Baile Bheanóg) described in 1840 as follows; ‘Maidstown Castle situated in the townland of the same name, enters into the building of Mr. Coll’s dwelling house. This castle, which is square, measures thirty five feet one inch [10.7m] by thirty two feet [9.7m] outside, the walls, which are embattled being about fifty feet [15m] high and three and a half feet [1m] in thickness. The main body of the building contained three stories; the portion which contains the staircase consists of five stories. It does not seem to be very old’ (OSL Dromin Parish, O’Flanagan 1929, 28-9). The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that in 1641 John Fox of Ballyvenoge was the owner of 'a good castle, a Bawne, an orchard, & indifferent houses' (Simington 1938, 124). Castle described by Salter (2004, 91) as; 'Only the southern half now remains of a tower which probably measures about 10m by 9m. South of it lies a thinly walled four storey extension of c 1600-40, now propped up by a sloping SW corner buttress. It has a blocked entrance and several hood-moulded windows, also mostly blocked up. Very little now remains of a further extension to the east towards where a modern house now stands. It contained a wide new staircase. Maidstown was held in 1660 by Captain Ormsby and later passed to the Gubbins family'. See attached Down Survey map of Coshma Barony showing Ballyvenoge Castle (Hib. Reg.). and Down Survey map of Dromin parish with building annotated 'a Castle' (NLI, MS. 718) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 29 April 2021 See attached ASI aerial photographs ASIAP – 346/21 on 05/01/2003.

Maidstown Castle was likely built in the late medieval period, possibly by a local Gaelic family or minor Anglo-Norman lordship. It is remembered for its historical association with the surrounding townland and as an example of early Irish castle architecture in a region with significant Gaelic heritage.

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