Castle

In improved pasture, on a very gentle S-facing slope. The Civil Survey 1654-56 (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 200) mentions 'a small castle wanting repaire' on the lands of 'George Comyn of Ballyvadin Irish Papist'. A rectangular enclosure (TS062-076----), possibly the bawn of this castle, was indentified on an aerial photograph (GSI S.625/4 16/04/1974). This area is known locally as the 'castle yard' due to its association with the site of Ballyvadin Castle, which is depicted within this vicinity on the Down Survey composite map (1655-58). According to local information, when the field to the E was levelled out, lots of masonry was exposed where the castle was previously understood to have existed and some of this stone was used in the building of farm buildings c. 170m to the ENE. The OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 2, 173) refer to 'an old castle in Ballyvadin Townland which fell one night at the very moment on which the former proprietor of this land, who was a Quaker, departed this life. The site is pointed out at the distance of about twenty five perches [c. 126m] to east of the road that runs between Thurles and Clonmel'. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

George Comyn, an Irish Papist, held a small castle at Ballyvadin in the mid-17th century; it is remembered from the Civil Survey of 1654–56, which noted its poor condition and association with local landholding during a period of political and religious tension in Ireland.