What is recorded here

Dunalley Castle stood on a north-facing upland slope in County Tipperary, its rectangular limestone walls reaching two metres thick before modern quarrying erased the site in the late 1970s. John Kennedy owned the place in 1640, and public funds likely helped repair it later, suggesting the crown still valued its defensive potential. A shallow pond now occupies the castle and bawn, hiding the exact footprint of rooms where people once lived, argued, and watched the valley below.

Situated on a N-facing slope of rising ground in an upland area. Described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as the 'castle of Dunally paretly repaired at the Common Wealthes charge with a little barbicon' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 245). John Kennedy is listed as proprietor in 1640 (ibid.). Described in the OS Letters as a rectangular building (int. dims. 20.5ft (6.2m) E-W; 29.75ft (9m) N-S; wall T 6.5ft (2m)) built with roughly coursed limestone rubble with the possible remains of spiral stairs in the SE angle (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 3, 119). Destroyed by modern commercial quarrying in the late 1970s, large pond occupies site of medieval castle and bawn. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 12 July 2016

Dunalley Castle was partially repaired during the Commonwealth period (c. 1650s) under Oliver Cromwell's administration. It is remembered as a site of military and strategic interest during the English Reformation in Ireland.

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