Why this matters
Ardabrone Castle, also known as Ardna Glas or Ardna Glass, was built by the O'Dowd family, a Gaelic Irish clan of the Clandeboy region, during the late medieval period. It is remembered as a local defensive stronghold associated with the historical landscape of the O'Dowd territory in what is now County Sligo.
What is recorded here
On a slight rise in good, rough pasture, E of Ardnaglass bridge and N of the main Ballysadare-Easky road with excellent views. Named 'Ardnaglass Castle' on the 1913 OS 6-inch map. Apparently built by the O'Dowds, the Lords of Tireragh. Rectangular castle, (int. dims. c. 32m NW-SE; 21m W-E) aligned NW-SE of which only the SE wall (L 15.3m; H 8-10m) and a corner portion of the NW wall survive. The SE wall has a neatly angular corner champfer on the SW end and on the W end of the wall framing the corner is a solid machicolation projection supported by massy brackets, with an intact gun loop at W. The walls are slightly battered (T 1.35m), the basal plinth acting as a supporting buttress and have an ashlar finish covering a fabric of random rubble and lime mortar. Over the plinth batter is a central window with ashlar surround with a gun loop to E. The ground rises to the NE where the sod-covered remains of the wall may indicate the remains of a bastion-type entrance. The N corner of the NW wall survives, with precisely cut quoins and a similar machicolated projection facing N. To the W are a series of earthworks (SL013-048002-), to the S is a house site (SL013-048003-), to SW is a moated site (SL013-048005-). The castle was the original location of a stone sculpture (DU018-221---- ) which is now in the National Museum of Ireland . It consists of a bas-relief of two intertwined animals, interpreted as a dog killing a wolf (Wood-Martin 1882, 57, fig. 5A; Kilgannon 1926, 293; 292-3).
Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan
Date of upload: 19 January 2011
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