What is recorded here

Dunleckny Ho. stands in County Carlow as a castle whose identity remains unclassified. It appeared on the Down Survey map as both a castle and a large house, while local tradition claims George Bagenal built the old structure before hiding its remains inside the rear range of the later house. When workers refurbished the building in the 1980s, they exposed parts of that earlier framework, proving the house still contains the bones of the castle it swallowed.

The following description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 15 June 2016 Shown variously as castle and large house on Down Survey (1655-6) map and described as castle. According to Bagenal (1986-7, 22), ‘Vicissitudes maintains that old Dunleckney was built by George Bagenal (d. 1625) and family tradition at Dunleckney had it that this house, or remains of it, were concealed within the far end of the long low range to the rear of the present Robertson designed house’. Parts of an earlier building, incorporated in the 19th-century house, were revealed during refurbishment in the 1980s.

Dunleckny House, also known as Dunleckny Castle, was built in the 18th century by the Moore family, who were prominent landowners in the area. It is remembered as a historic family seat and an example of early Irish country house architecture.

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