Castle (in ruins) — Glencolumbkille South

On level ground covered in trees with a NNE-SSW oriented rock face (H 2-3m) rising c. 45m to the NW and a stream c. 25m to the W. Named ‘Castle in ruins’ on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Indicated within a partly hachured area with the label ‘Castle (site of)’ on the 1897 OS 25-inch plan and the 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Various written sources mention one or two castles in Glencolumbkille; however, it is not clear whether this castle or another (CL010-040002-) in the neighbouring townland of Glencolumbkille North is being referred to in these documents, or indeed whether both castles even existed (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1997). A castle of ‘Glancollayn Kelly’ was owned by a member of the O’Loughlin clan in 1574. After the 1641 rebellion the castle was confiscated by the British and given to one John Blake and his wife, then rented to John Hynes and Brian Kilkelly in 1659 – the last mention of this castle (ibid.). Ua Cróinín and Breen (ibid.) found no remains of this tower house, noting only several very large limestone blocks on a limestone outcrop. In a garden wall and gatepiers ‘at the nearby road junction’ they also identified ‘stones cut and dressed in typical towerhouse fashion’ as well as three chamfered loop jambs. Ua Cróinín and Breen (ibid.) suggested that if there was ever a castle at this location, its stone was taken and used by the O’Briens in the 18th-century construction of nearby Glencolumbkille House, situated c. 225m to the S. An inspection in 1999 also found no tower house remains, but there was evidence that machinery had caused severe damage to this general area. Near the mapped location for the tower house was a heavily overgrown rectangular building defined by drystone walls of irregular limestone blocks. The S wall (15m ENE-WSW; Wth 0.9-1.3m; max. H 1.1m) has fallen out at the E end. The W wall survives at its S end (5m NNW-SSE; Wth 1.1m; max. H 0.9). The poorly defined outline of the E wall (5m NNW-SSE) can be traced. The ground outside the building at N and E is almost level. A fulacht fia (CL010-036002-) lies c. 30m to the W. The following item has been uploaded: CL010-036001-_01.pdf Details from Risteárd Ua Cróinín and Martin Breen, The Castles and Tower-houses of Co. Clare (unpublished report). Uploaded courtesy of R. Ua Cróinín and M. Breen. Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 5 April 2023