Lackeen Castle (in Ruins)

A well-preserved four-storey tower (TN004-022001) and a large irregular-shaped bawn (int. dims. 58.7m N-S; 59m E-W; T 1.05m) situated on natural rock outcrop in low undulating countryside. There is a watermill (TN004-022006) immediately S of the bawn, a deserted settlement (TN004-022004) S of this and a later seventeenth and eighteenth-century house (TN004-022005) built onto the E wall of the bawn. An O'Kennedy stronghold (Smyth 1985, 118) of sixteenth-century date which belonged to Brian Ua Cinneide Fionn, Chieftain of Ormond who died in 1588 (Harbison 1970, 230). Described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as an 'old ruined castle & bawne of Leackeene the walls onely standing an orchard and garden' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 315). Donogh Kenedy is listed as proprietor in 1640 (ibid.). The bawn is entered through a large round-arched gateway with punch-dressed limestone jambs at the centre of the S wall. The wall returns inside the gateway indicate evidence of a possible destroyed gatehouse. There is a second entrance to the bawn consisting of a two-centred doorway at the S end of the W wall. The presence of two punch-dressed hanging-eyes indicates a swing type door of two parts. A paved walkway leads from the doorway in a westerly direction for a distance of approx. 3m. There is evidence of a destroyed machicolation which was carried on five double corbels off-centre to the S along the W wall. Wall-footings of a small circular tower protrude from the face of the S wall of the bawn to the W of the main gateway. A large wall niche at the N end of the W wall and a gun loop and slop-stone at the W end of the N wall provide evidence for an internal lean-to structure in the NW angle of the bawn. Rather than facilitating the removal of waste the slop-stone carried water into the structure acting as a storage faciltiy for rainwater. 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

Lackeen Castle was built in the 15th or 16th century by an unidentified local Gaelic family, likely for defensive purposes during a period of clan conflict. Its well-preserved tower and substantial bawn make it an important example of early Irish tower house architecture.