What is recorded here

Kilcummin Castle vanished before the 1922 map, leaving only a rectangular ghost on earlier charts and a cluster of vernacular buildings beside the Killala Bay shoreline. Its stones may live inside the wall of a ruined cottage, waiting to be recognised among rough hammer-dressed quoin fragments. The castle did not depart so much as it stopped being visible, folding into the headland, the holy well and the ordinary breath of the place.

Located on the SE side of Benwee or Kilcummin Head, c. 200m from the rocky shoreline overlooking Killala Bay. A rectangular building named ‘Kilcummin Castle’ is indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map, with a cluster of vernacular buildings shown immediately to W and N of it; it is not shown on the 25-inch plan and the 1922 OS 6-inch map, where the location is marked as ‘Kilcummin Castle (Site of)’. There are no visible remains of the castle. A number of large quoin stones with rough hammer dressing are evident in the wall of a ruined vernacular stone cottage at this location; it is possible that these stones were salvaged from the ruined castle. There is a holy well (MA008-004001-) c. 10-15m to N, and a church (MA008-006001-) and graveyard (MA008-006007-) c. 20m to S. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 15 July 2019

This remains an important historical record, but the official description says the monument is no longer visible or has been destroyed. The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.