Ballynalackan Castle (in ruins) — Ballynalackan (cloghaun Ed)

Situated in the SW corner of a large bawn (CL008-032002-) encompassing the flat top of a prominent steep-sided limestone outcrop (H c. 30m), in an area of hilly pasture and woodland. Depicted on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map as a rectangular structure, and labelled 'Ballynalackan Castle (in Ruins)'. Labelled 'castle (O'Brien)' on Robinson's (1977) map. Listed as 'Tower house and bawn' in the RMP (1996). This castle may have been built in the 15th century (Westropp 1900, 284), perhaps by one "Lochlainn MacCon" of the O'Connor family who had long held this district. However, it seems that already during this period dues were being paid on this land by the O'Connors to the O'Briens (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1997). In the 1570s and 1580s the castle was predominantly owned by different branches of the O'Brien family. The castle may have been somewhat dilapidated in 1654 (Westropp 1900, 286; Spellissy 1984, 29; Ua Cróinín and Breen 1997), but appears to have been repaired and occupied until the late 18th century (Spellissy 1984, 30). In 1938 it was sold to the O'Callaghans. Described by Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997) as a well-preserved tower house (13.1m E-W; 8.7m N-S; max. H 19m) built of large, mortared limestone blocks, laid in erratic courses. The narrow E section (containing the stairwell and bedrooms) rose to six storeys, while the wider W section (containing the halls) had four storeys. The outer walls incorporated ogee-headed windows, as well as lintelled, arched and crudely dressed loops. In the centre of the third floor on the N wall was a large machicoulis. A crude loop at the base of this wall was replaced by a well-carved, replica ogee loop (18th/19th century). The main entrance doorway was in the E wall, with an irregular machicoulis over it. This doorway had been removed and crudely rebuilt. This wall's base was battered. The loops in the stairwell here had dripstones. An ogee-headed double-light window in the second floor was probably a later insertion. In the S wall there was a garderobe chute at the base, as well as a narrow-arched window, and a high, double-light ogee-headed window (second floor), and double-and single-mullioned windows. A crude loop in the base batter of the W wall was replaced by an ogee-headed loop in the 18th/19th century. A loop in the first floor had an ogee that extended to the S, and seems to have been originally intended for a double loop, there being a second ogee lightly inscribed on the stone here (ibid.). On the third floor of the W wall was a large machicoulis. The ground floor contained the circular stairwell, a vaulted lodge and a hall. The ceiling inside the entrance was a wide cross-arch. Two series of corbels were visible under the hall's stone vault: an upper series to hold up the original vault, and a lower series which would have supported the wooden floor of the first floor hall. In the narrow section of the first floor there was a garderobe, a secret/lock-up chamber (bolted from outside) in the thickness of the S wall, and rooms to the S of the stairwell. The second floor hall contained a large broken fireplace, dated to the 16th century (ibid.). There was an ornate mantled fireplace in the E wall of the third floor, with '1641' inscribed on its keystone. Over the fireplace was a relieving arch. Giving access to the two machicoulis in the W and N walls were narrow lintelled doorways (bolted from inside). Slates protruding from the crudely built E gable were similar to Killaloe slate, commonly used for roofing in Clare during the 18th-19th centuries (ibid.). By contrast the W gable's angled cornice was capped by very finely cut barge stones. Continuing up the stairwell to the fourth floor there was an unusual doorway with a flat ogee-headed doorway. This gave access to a small room with a plain but very fine 17th-century fireplace incorporating a segmented lintel. The loops in the E and S walls were set in splayed and arched embrasures. The chimney above this room had been capped with a hexagonal flue made of neatly fitting carved stones, which appeared to have been recently broken and scattered (ibid.). A doorway here gave access to a small turret in the tower house's NE corner, leading to the wall walk. From here a doorway accessed a loft in the narrow section of the building. Finally, there was a small corbelled platform above the NE turret, accessed by stone steps. There were traces of rendering throughout the castle's interior (ibid.). An inspection of the tower house in 1998 found it unaltered in the interim, although it was not possible to access the upper floors. See attachments: • CL009-032001-_01.PDF Details from Ua Cróinín R. and Breen M. 1997, The castles and tower-houses of Co. Clare, 6 vols. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. • CL009-032001-_02.jpg Towerhouse viewed from west. • CL009-032001-_03.jpg Towerhouse viewed from north-east. • CL009-032001-_04.jpg Upper section of towerhouse from north-west. • CL009-032001-_05.jpg View of service tower from north. • CL009-032001-_06.jpg View of doorway from east-north-east. • CL009-032001-_07.jpg Aerial view from east of towerhouse with bawn (CL008-032002-) in foreground.(Marcus Casey, 2007) Summary by: Conn Herriott and Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 24-November 2022