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In walled orchard, part of demesne of Doneraile Court (14887). No visible surface trace of castle. Castle here reputedly built by MacWilliam Mór Synan in 1402, and sold in 1630 to Sir William St Leger (Healy 1988, 326). St Leger built new house on site; this 'new mansion house' greatly impressed Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (MacCarthy-Morrogh 1986, 168). House burnt in 1645 and subsequently repaired (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 3, 45); estate map of 1728 (ibid., 20) shows house, named 'castle', with geometric gardens to SE. By 1750 house in ruins (Smith 1750, 330) and located in 'small grove'. Marked 'site of Doneraile Court' on 1842 OS 6-inch map. Rectangular timber (min. L 3m; Wth 0.29m), hollowed out along most of its length and with dowel holes in the upper surface of each side, was found in 1990 c. 600m to SE on E bank of Awbeg River. Sample of timber (Q9440) dendrochronologically dated to AD 1510± 9 years (Cotter and Egan 1997, 162-5); date suggests that timber may be associated with castle.
See Excavations 2003, 58.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009
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