What is recorded here

Gortkelly Castle stands as a ruined motte and bailey on a natural ridge in County Tipperary, its eastern edge defined by a steep scarp rather than human hands. Only the south wall and lower sections of the east and west walls remain, rising three metres above the grass. The missing rooms suggest a household that watched the upland horizon before time erased their names.

Located in an upland area on a natural ridge. A motte and bailey (TN040-013002-) with the remains of a stone castle surmounting the motte. The E edge of the motte and bailey is formed by the steep natural scarp of the ridge. All that remains of the castle which surmounts the motte is the S wall and the S end of the E and W walls up to first-floor level (wall T 1.45m; H 3m). 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

Gortkelly Castle was built by the Kelly family, a prominent Gaelic Irish clan, in the 13th or 14th century. It is remembered as a strategic defensive site in the upland landscape and as evidence of medieval landholding in the region.

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