Cashlaunawogga — Kilcarragh

On high ground with steeply sloping ground to the N and S and good views; within an extensive multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Indicated and named ‘Cashlaunawogga’ on the 1840 ed. of the OS 6-inch map and named ‘Cashlaunawogga in Ruins’ on the 1897 ed. Described by Westropp (1900, 398) as having massive walls with the name ‘Cashlaunawogga’ or ‘the sham castle’ about which no history was known. He later noted (1915, 253) that the name ‘Caheremon’ was reputedly transferred to the castle from a nearby cashel. Described by Petrie (1972, 254) as ‘another fine remain’ and by O’Donovan in 1839 (Comber 1997, 89) as ‘Caislen-an-Mhaga’ which according to the local population was ‘well begun but never raised any higher than it is at present’. O’Donovan (ibid.) also noted that some writers had assigned an ecclesiastical origin to the remains. Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997) name it ‘Caislean A’Mhaghaidh’ and repeat the tradition that it was never completed and that there is no written historical account relating to it. A poorly preserved tower house (int. dims. c. 6.2m E-W; c. 5m N-S; H c. 3.5m) constructed from large, mortared limestone blocks with little evidence for dressing (Wth c. 0.7-1.1m). The base of the wall is steeply battered and the only evidence for the stairwell seems to be a single corbel and one slab at ground level perpendicular to the E wall. It is located in the NE corner of a bawn (CL016-011002-) of similar construction. The possible foundations of a building (CL016-011004-) lie c. 3m to the W and a limekiln (CL016-011003-) is built into the S-facing slope under the bawn (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1997; Breen and Ua Cróinín 1997). The following item has been uploaded: CL016-011002-_01.pdf Details from Risteárd Ua Cróinín and Martin Breen, The Castles and Tower-houses of Co. Clare (unpublished report).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 Lynda McCormack Date of upload: 1 February 2022