Castle

A medieval castle in the village of Multyfarnham is depicted on the 1659 Down Survey map of the parish of Multyfarnham where it is shown located N of the medieval church (WM006-061----) and SW of the River Gaine (NLI, MS 723-4). This would place the castle in the present townland of Rathganny, and probably located in the vicinity of the Post Office which is depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. On this map the Post Office is depicted standing on the N side of the main street of Multyfarnham village. The castle stood on lands belonging to Andrew Nugent described as an ‘Irish Papist’(NLI, MS 723-4). The terrier of the 1659 Down Survey map of Multyfarnham parish recorded that ‘in the said Parish are Scituate the Castles of Multifernan Multyfarnham], Rathgany (WM011-032----) & Moninstowne (WM007-086----) (NLI, MS 723-4). The precise location of Multyfarnham Castle has not been identified. The castle was located in an area N of the medieval church (WM006-061----) and graveyard (WM006-061001-). No medieval building or any medieval dressed stone from the medieval castle could be found incorporated into the buildings to the N of the medieval church ruins (WM006-061----) (SMR File, 19/05/1983). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 22 November 2015

A medieval castle in Multyfarnham, likely built in the 13th or 14th century by a local Anglo-Norman lord or Gaelic chieftain, is recorded on the 1659 Down Survey map; its location near the River Gaine and medieval church suggests it was a strategic local stronghold in the medieval period.