Dangan Castle (in ruins) — Dangan (bunratty Upper By.)

On a natural rock outcrop, in mixed woodland with limited views of the surrounding landscape due to tree cover. According to Salter (2004, 31), this is a 14th-century hall-house which is later than others in North Munster, having an original cross-wall and wicker-centred vaults. A surviving piece of hazel derived from the centering produced a radiocarbon date of 1299-1395 (QUB) thus proving a 14th-century date (Ua Cróinín and Breen 2015 pers. comm.). It was built by the MacNamara’s and in the 17th century Charles II granted it to Pierce Creagh (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1997). It is sometimes referred to as Dangan Uí Bhigín, later Anglicised to Dangan Iviggin, possibly to differentiate it from nearby Danganbrack (CL034-138----) tower house and another in the county called Dangan (CL050-041----). This is a three-storey hall-house, gabled to E and W. It was a rectangular structure (16.9m N-S; 11.9m E-W) as depicted on the 1840 OS 6-inch map. It seems to have been reduced to an L-shaped building sometime between the mid-19th and late 19th century, as per later OS mapping. The L-shaped plan has formed due to the collapse of the SE corner and the interior of the structure is exposed. The building is defined by roughly hewn, squared rubble limestone walls (max. Wth 2.6m) which are supported on a pronounced, yet short base-batter (H 1.2m; Wth 0.2m) which is evident in the W, N and E walls. The NW and NE quoins and surrounding stones are missing. Put-log holes are visible on each elevation, where the outer face of the masonry is intact. There is a large area of collapsed masonry to E and large blocks of intact masonry to E and SE, corresponding with the collapsed SE corner. EXTERIOR The W wall (L 16.9m; Wth 2m) stands to just above the second-floor level. The facing-stones are missing at the NW and SW corners in places, but mostly at ground level and just above. Approximately half of this elevation is obscured by dense ivy. A broken-out window opening is located in the centre of this elevation at ground-floor level and a round-headed loop is located off-centre to S, at first-floor level. A broken-out loop at half-storey height, is located at the S end. A small rectangular projection at the SW corner houses a garderobe. The remains of a short return of the S wall (Wth 1.25m) at the W end, adjoin to E of the garderobe projection and stand to second-floor level. This is pierced by a narrow broken-out lintelled window opening at ground level. Given its location, it may have been a fortified opening, as suggested by the presence of a yett-hole on the W side. A staircase rises up from this location on the inside. A square-headed loop above, is located just below second-floor level. The remainder of the S elevation is obscured by ivy and has tumbled. The N half of the E-wall (L 8.6m; Wth of outer skin 0.8m; overall Wth 2.6m) is extant and extends to just below eaves level and appears gabled. Some large stones have been used in the base-batter and these appear to be roughly dressed. The wall-end is broken out at the NE corner. Put-log holes are evident in places, where not obscured by ivy. Some facing-stones are missing from a large patch at wall-base, off-centre to S. A possible lintelled ope is at the N end, just above ground level and may be the outlet of a garderobe chute. A very narrow loop at the S end lights a mural staircase within and a wider square-headed window ope is in centre at first-floor level, lighting the same staircase which runs along the inside of the E wall. Some render is evident high up at the S end. The N wall (L 11.9m; Wth 2.4m) stands to c. 1.2m above second-floor level and is poorly preserved, being penetrated by heavy ivy. A broken-out opening with a petite ogee-head is located at the W end of the ground floor. A second broken-out opening, having a twin ogee-headed light, is off-centre to E at first-floor level. A second, similar light is off-centre to W at the same level. A narrow square-headed loop is located at second-floor level at the E end lighting the head of the mural staircase which extends along the inside of the E wall. INTERIOR The SE corner of the interior has collapsed along with the external walls at this location. The original entrance, lobby and guardroom do not survive and are likely to have been in the S or E wall. Most of the interior seems to have been occupied by two long, narrow double-height wicker-vaulted rooms (long axis N-S). Only the N half of the eastern room survives and it is open to S. Two sets of opposing joist hangers (at different heights) are located high up in the E and W walls, suggesting that a first-floor level also existed under this vault. A window embrasure with a lintelled light, is located in the N wall at ground-floor level. A second light having a twin ogee-head is directly above at first-floor level and has a wall-niche in the S side. The living space along the west side of the structure appears to have been subdivided and consists of a long, narrow, double-height space occupying the NW corner. This has a wicker-vaulted roof having a pointed arch, with the remains of the centering evident in places. A series of opposing joist hangers in the E and W walls of this room indicate that a first-floor level existed under this vault. A window embrasure with a petite ogee-head is located at ground-floor level at the W end of this room. A second embrasure with a twin ogee light, is located above, at first-floor level. A widely splayed window embrasure with a wicker-centred soffit is located at ground-floor level, in the S end of the W wall. The light is broken out. A broken-out opening in the S wall at first-floor level gives light to/from the small room adjacent to S. A rectangular wall-niche is situated directly above. A broken-out doorway is located at the S end of the E wall. A small rectangular double-height room adjoins, off-centre to S and may be a later insertion to divide up the internal living space along the W side of the interior. The remains of an elliptical ground-floor vaulted ceiling are attached to the W wall suggesting the presence of a ground and first-floor room. However, the ground-floor area cannot be seen as it is choked with rubble. The E wall of these rooms is missing. The ceiling of the first-floor room is vaulted, similar to the two main rooms. A window embrasure with a single round-headed light is located in the W wall. A rectangular opening in the N wall at first-floor level, gives light to/from the adjoining room. At first-floor level, a narrow doorway at the W end of the S wall gives access to a small landing leading directly to a garderobe in the SW corner. This chamber has a corbelled roof and is lit by a small loop with splayed ingoings. A short flight of steps down from the landing leads to a small ground-floor undercroft with a broken-out loop in the S wall. Two steps up from the landing lead to a narrow mural passage (long-axis E-W) at first-floor level, which leads to a narrow staircase linking the lower and upper chambers. The second-floor level is reached by two separate staircases. The mural passage mentioned above, turns at the E end of the surviving portion of S wall, from where a straight run staircase gives access to the second-floor level. The base of this staircase is lit by a broken-out loop and it is lit half way up by a lintelled light in the S wall. A turn in the upper portion of this narrow staircase (Wth 0.6m) is formed by very small, narrow winders. A door opening at the W side leads into the second-floor level. The main mural staircase (Wth 0.85m) is in the E wall (Wth 2.6m). Only the northern portion of this staircase survives, due to a broken end at S, where the remainder of the E wall has collapsed. This staircase is lit by a blocked loop in the E wall, just above the broken end. A second lintelled lights is located at the upper portion of the staircase. A narrow, lintelled loop (H 1.1m; Wth 0.12m) located in the N wall, lights the head o