Cloncourse Castle

A four-storey high house, built of roughly coursed rubble, with projecting tower in centre of S wall. Chimney stacks survive on E and W gables. N wall destroyed. Frieplaces in E gable on first, second and third floor. Other features include rectangular chamfered limestone windows, a machicolation on top level over the doorway, and three spouts projecting from top of S wall. Remains of rectangular shaped bawn (LA015-021001-) with splayed gun loops and out buildings in NE angle survive, and also a gatehouse in centre of S wall. Cloncourse castle was built by the O'Duigin's in 1636 according to its datestone (LA016-019001-) now at Mondrehid House which was built near the site of Mondrehid Castle (LA016-019----). This slab was taken from Cloncourse Castle and taken to the garden of Mondrehid House, the datestone has the inscription which reads 'I.H.S. 1636 I.N.R.I. JOHN' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 134) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

Cloncourse Castle is a 17th-century tower house, likely built by a local Gaelic or Anglo-Irish family, reflecting the defensive architecture of the period. Its survival provides insight into early modern domestic and military structures in rural Ireland.