What is recorded here

Two hidden ponds fed the castle kitchen, yet no modern hand has pointed them out. Water likely flowed through stone channels while cooks selected the largest fish for the Earl of Desmond. The castle fell, its towers crumbled and the ponds vanished under soil or new streets. They still belong to the area because they sustained a great house at its height.

The precise location of the medieval fish-ponds belonging to the Desmond Castle (LI036-067002-) at Newcastle has not been identified. Desmond Hall described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 201-08) as following; "An account of the castle in the Desmond Roll of 1583-6 gives a good description of it: 'One great castle, built of square plan, a chief house of the said late Earl of Desmond ... having at each angle of the same a round tower, with various places and chambers in each tower. And there is at the south corner, on the western side of the said castle at the south part, a high square tower or peel, built for defence within the walls of the said castle. And also there were within the walls of the said castle many buildings - namely, a large hall, a large room and an excellent chamber; one garden, and in the same two fish ponds' (Westropp 1909, 56-7). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 May 2019

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