What is recorded here

Castle stood on a grassy mound in Magherareagh when a manor survey recorded it in 1303, beside a church and a working farm rather than a distant military border. Its palisade lay broken across the ground while kitchens, stables, a malt kiln and fish ponds remained active, suggesting ordinary domestic life more than ceremonial grandeur. Nothing visible remains above soil now, but the mound still holds the shape of a household that measured wealth in grain, butter, fish and repairable timber.

Situated on a motte (TN034-090002-) on flat pasture with a church (TN034-090001-) immediately to the W. According to an extent of the manor in 1303 a castle was standing on a 'motte surrounded by a broken-down palisade, the greater part of which lies prostrate' (Empey 1985, 80). The extent goes on to describe the manor as consisting of 'a new hall, an old wooden chapel, and other rooms (kitchen, larder, fish-house, stable granary, sheepcote and malt kiln). They have stood there for many years and are in bad repair. There is a cowhouse inside the fosse in poor repair and a grange in good condition. Long ago there was a dovecote woth 12d. a year. They say also that thee is a certain mill there together with the fisheries of all the ponds there which they value at £6-13-4 a year less upkeep' (ibid.). No visible remains of the castle at ground level. 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

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