Garrycastle

Garrycastle also known as Caislean Barrcha or Carrick Castle as annotated on the 1654-7 Down Survey map of Brawny barony (Hib. Reg.). The terrier of this map recorded that in 1640 this castle stood on unforfeited lands belonging to Barnaby O'Bryan, who is listed as a Protestant landowner (NLI, MS 723-4). Castle situated on a slight rise, overlooking stream immediately to N, on the E edge of Athlone town. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a rectangular-shaped building with its long axis aligned NE-SW, annotated ‘Garrycastle’. A second L-shaped building annotated 'Garrycastle Old Ho.' is shown standing 70m to SW. No surface remains survive of this building annotated 'Garrycastle Old Ho.'. This latter site was archaeologically tested in 2001. On the revised 1910 ed. OS 25-inch map the NW side wall of the castle is no longer upstanding and the other three walls of the castle are shown intact. In 1837 the Ordnance Survey Letters recorded the tradition that the castles of Coosan (WM029-001----) and Garrycastle were built by the O'Breen's [O'Bryan] (OSL vol. 1, 67). According to N.W. English (1968), these are the ruins of a fortified house reputed to be the residence of the Galborne family constructed during the period 1660-1700. Pinkman (1945, 42, 45) recorded that the medieval castle at Garrycastle consisted of a 'site and some remains' which are still pointed out. It is possible that there was a medieval Gaelic castle located on or close to the site of the 17th century fortified house constructed by the Galborne [Golborne] family. Castle ruins described in 1980 as the remains of a long rectangular-shaped building (dims. 15m NW-SE; 9m NE-SW) defined primarily by sod-covered wall footings. The line of the NW wall is difficult to determine due to dense overgrowth along this side of the monument. The best preserved portion of wall (H 4-5m) is at the S end of the SW wall. A substantial fireplace and a ruined chimney flue is visible on the inner face of this gable. Brick has been incorporated into the upper parts of this wall. Internal wall footings can be traced within the interior of the ruin. There is no cut stone visible and nothing to suggest a date earlier than the 16th or 17th century. Monument is not visible today on Digital Globe aerial photography due to mature tree cover. In 2001 archaeological testing was undertaken by Martin E Byrne under licence No. 01E0130 in advance of a proposed development site within the IDA Industrial Estate in the eastern suburbs of Athlone. The results of the testing were summarised as following; 'The proposed development area is to the south-west of a castle. This castle was attacked in 1442 and apparently levelled, although one source (Stokes and Burgess 1897, 40) indicates that a part of the ruins was still extant in the late 19th century. However, this source is generally recognised as dubious. The documentary evidence indicates that a fortified house was constructed at the site in the mid–late 17th century. The extant remains at the site are most likely those of this fortified house. Furthermore, it is probable that this house was constructed either on, or very close to, the previous castle. The extant remains consist of a long stone building, measuring c. 9m by 15m. The south-west gable of this building stands to a height of c. 4–5m and incorporates a ruined fireplace with brick chimney flue. Much of the site and its immediate environs are overgrown and it was not possible to determine whether any further remains might exist. To the south-west of the monument is an area of rough ground in which some wall footings can be traced. Initial testing within this area indicated that it is the location of a late 18th/early 19th-century farm building which was demolished in the first half of the 20th century. The area was subsequently used for the storage of silage in more recent years. A number of linear features in the immediate environs of the farmhouse were tested; the results indicated that these features were the remains of drive/ laneways which were subsequently disturbed by ploughing. Additional testing undertaken in the area of the farmhouse indicated that the basal courses of the external walls, which were 0.6m wide, were of stone, with the remainder of the structure constructed in brick. All internal walls were 0.4m wide and were of brick. All walls stood to a height of 0.4–0.6m over foundation level. The house had a maximum length of 17.7m and a maximum width of 15m. There was evidence of an internal chimney along the western wall, and doorways on the southern, eastern and northern walls. In addition, there was evidence for brick, stone-cobbled and possibly timber floors on the inside of the house, with some external stone cobbling. No additional features, structures, deposits or finds of archaeological/historical interest were uncovered during the course of the testing' (www.excavations.ie). See attached Down Survey map Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien.