Kenmare Castle, County Limerick (LI032-147005-)

Kenmare Castle (NIAH Reg. No. 21811029) may have been built on site of medieval castle. The precise location of this castle in the town of Hospital has not been identified. Westropp (1906-7, 185) recorded the following details about this castle; 'Marked. The preceptory was founded by G. de Mariscis, 1215 (see Proc. R.I.A., xxiv. (c), p. 449). It (or a C[astle]. near it) was used as a residence after the dissolution. 1578 C[astle]. granted to W. Apsley. 1655 Hospital held by T. Browne (C.S., xxxi., p. 5). The C[astle]. stood, according to tradition, not far from the preceptory to the east of the bridge, and on the north bank of the river. No trace remains'. O'Kelly (1942-3, 236) gave the following details on Hospital; 'This castle was situated in the village of Hospital not far from the ruins of the Knights' Hospital. No trace now remains. The Hospital is said to have been granted to Sir Valentine Browne who erected the Castle. The grant was made by Queen Elizabeth. Nothing further is known of it'. The present Kenmare Castle house was described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a 'Detached five-bay single-storey house, built c. 1780, comprising three-bay three-storey block to north-east having dormer attic with single-bay single-storey extension having lean-to to north, three-bay bow and two-bay two-storey addition to south elevation. Two-bay two-storey extension to rear (east) elevation' (www.buildingsofireland.ie). The castle of Hospital is depicted on the 1654-57 Down Survey map of Any Parish as fortified house like structure consisting of a gable end two storey high house with tall lateral chimneystacks rising above the roofline (NLI, Ms 718). The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that Thomas Browne of Hospital & his mother Lady Barbara Browne was in possession of the lands of Hospital on which there was 'two fayres by the yeare a markett ev'ie weeke a Court Leet & Barron a Castle sixtie houses & a Mill seate' (Simington 1938, 96).