Tyredagh Castle (in ruins) — Tyredagh Upper

In rough pasture, on a natural rock outcrop, in a gently undulating landscape with extensive views to N. The area immediately around the base of the outcrop is a small sheltered hollow defined by scrub-covered rock outcrop E-S-WSW. The monument is depicted and named on all OS historic mapping as ‘Tyredagh Castle (in ruins)’. According to Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997), it was built by Mahon MacNamara and was recorded in 1570 as being in the possession of Turlough O’Brien. In the late 16th and early 17th century, the castle is recorded as being back in MacNamara ownership, however it appears to have been in ruins by 1613 (Salter 2004, 55). The castle appears to have been repaired by the MacNamaras by 1630, when Sir Roland Delahoyde is recorded as renting part of it, appearing to have attained full possession by 1636 (Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997). It was forfeited by his son Oliver Delahoyde after the 1641 rebellion and it was granted to Edmund McGrath in 1656 (ibid.). It is documented that McGrath gave the property back to the MacNamaras and Maloneys, however by 1696 the estate had been forfeited and Tyredagh Castle appears to have fallen in to decay (ibid.). The outcrop on which the castle stands is a roughly rectangular, compact area (9.5m N-S; 15m E-W) defined by a steep scarp (Wth 9.5m; H 3.95m) which is most sheer to W and N. There are traces of a sod-covered bawn wall (CL027-023003-) to S and W. Tyredagh Castle is a rectangular structure (8.4m N-S; 11.5m E-W) which is located off-centre to W of the rectangular outcrop. It is defined by a substantial double-faced limestone wall (T 1.75-1.95m) of squared blocks of limestone, some of which are quite large. There is a base-batter (Wth 0.15m; H 2.65m) which is best seen where the facing-stones are intact on the S elevation. The NE corner containing the guardroom is reduced to a low, partial wall-footing. The E wall containing the main entrance is completely gone. The SE corner containing the spiral staircase is reduced to a sod-covered mound (2.9m E-W; 3.35m N-S; H 0.6m) of rubble stone. The remainder of the S wall (T 1.85m) rises to first-floor level, except at the SW corner, where a broken wall-end extends to parapet level. The W wall (T 1.95m) is the most intact and survives to parapet level. The facing-stones are missing at the lower ground-floor level including the SW and NW corners. A central ground-floor loop is broken out, where there is no surround. The central window openings at first- and second-floor level are also broken out with no surrounds surviving in situ, except the round head of the second-floor window. A single corbel is located at the upper reaches of the W wall at the S end and is probably associated with battlement level and may have supported a corner machicolation. Roughly in the centre, at the same level is the slight projection of a slop-stone, confirming a probable wall-walk above second-floor level. The N-wall (T 1.75m) is almost a mirror image of the S wall, whereby the NE corner is missing and the remainder rises to first-floor level, except at the NW corner, where a broken wall-end extends to parapet level. A wide, central broken-out window-opening at ground level is the only surviving feature on this elevation. The interior (int. dims. 4.74m N-S; 6.85m E-W) of the castle would have been accessed through a doorway in the E wall, which is missing. Therefore, neither the doorway, the murder-hole above nor the guardroom survive. The guardroom appears to have been located in the NE corner, where the low sod-covered remains (L 1.7m; T 0.65m; H 0.1m) of this room can be traced to W. The only feature in the S wall is a rectangular niche (Wth 0.75m; H 0.65m; D 0.64m) at the W end. The W wall has a wide central window embrasure (Wth 1.96m; D 1.1m) with the remains of straight ingoings and a flat-headed loop with a splayed ingoing on the S side and which is otherwise broken out. The relieving arch of the window embrasure is gone although the masonry behind is intact and the soffit is wicker-centred forming an elliptical arch. A rectangular wall niche (Wth 0.66m; H 0.66m; D 0.60m) is located at the N end of the W wall. A wide window embrasure (Wth 1.94m; D 1.1m; H 2.15m) is located centrally in the N wall. It has straight ingoings and a pointed head which is wicker-centred. The window surround is entirely gone. The remains of a broken-out garderobe chute (1.1m E-W; 0.81m N-S) are evident between this window and the guardroom indicating that the garderobe exited at the base of the N wall, off-centre to E. The natural limestone rock outcrop can be seen protruding above the ground-floor level within the interior, particularly at the W end. Otherwise the W half is earth-covered and bedrock is smooth from being eroded over time. The E half of the ground-floor level is sod-covered and loose stones are strewn across the interior. The ground floor is covered by a pointed wicker-centred vault (H c. 5.1m) and only the W wall survives above this, to parapet level. The first-floor level survives directly above the remaining vault only, which is broken along the E side. Only the W wall defines the first-floor level with a very short broken wall-end returning at the SW corner and an even shorter return at the NW corner. The internal elevation is completely obscured by ivy and the central window embrasure is completely broken out. The second-floor level is also broken out in the centre, including the base of the window embrasure, however a round-headed cut-stone surround remains in situ along with some of the jambstones. A dropped keystone adds a nice feature to this round-headed window embrasure. There is a corner wall-niche in the SW corner and a second wall-niche at the N end. There is a broad, depressed pointed cross-arch above the central window, which spans the W wall. According to Salter (2004, 55) and Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997), this supported the wall-walk above. A single cut-stone corbel above the springing of this arch is located in the SW corner. Very little of the lower parapet wall is seen above the centre of this arch, however a low portion rises (max. H 1.2-1.3m) at the N and S ends. The following items have been uploaded: CL027-023002-_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. CL027-023002-_01.jpg From SE. General view of monument. CL027-023002-_02.jpg From W. General view of monument. CL027-023002-_03.jpg From S. S elevation. CL027-023002-_04.jpg From NE. Close view of N elevation CL027-023002-_05.jpg From E. E elevation broken out. CL027-023002-_06.jpg From S. Window embrasure in N wall. CL027-023002-_07.jpg From NE. Corner niche in SW corner, at second floor level, W wall. Also note springing of cross-arch above and corbel immediately adjacent. CL027-023002-_08.jpg From E. Second floor level, W wall showing wall niches, central window embrasure and crossing arch to support wall-walk level. CL027-023002-_09.jpg From E. Broken out garderobe chute defined by 2 x 2m ranging rods. CL027-023002-_10.jpg From ENE. Landscape view of Tyredagh tower house. Compiled by: Mary Tunney, Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 12 December 2018