Clonmeen Castle (Site of) — Clonmeen North

On edge of plateau, overlooking Blackwater River valley to N; deep quarry to W and NW. Rectangular area (84m E-W; 83m N-S) enclosed by limestone rubble curtain walls (H c. 5m) with remains of circular flanking towers at NE, SE and SW corners; traces of foundations of similar tower at NW corner. Level interior in pasture. Entrance via wide broken ope at W end of S wall and narrow inserted arched gateway near N end of W wall. Site is 17th-century type bawn with numerous gun-loops in bawn walls and in towers; loops have splayed and lintelled embrasures with rectangular shot holes (Wth c. 0.05m; H c. 0.08m). Tower at SE corner (int. diam. c. 4m) is most complete; entrance from within bawn via ground-floor doorway, now ruined; tower wall at ground-floor level pierced by several gun-loops; large joist sockets overhead indicate position of 1st floor. Entrance to SW tower blocked; tower partially collapsed. Entrance to NE tower via inserted steps; tower partially collapsed. On 1842 OS 6-inch map dotted line outlines rectangular feature (c. 25m E-W; c. 10m N-S), named 'site of Clonmeen Castle', projecting into interior from W curtain wall. This had disappeared by 1897 (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 2. 235-6) and no visible trace of it survives. Foundations of earlier thicker walls under N and E bawn walls and under SE tower may be remains of a castle here referred to in 14th-century document as possession of Philip O Mol (MacCotter and Nicholls 1996, 35). Clonmeen subsequently one of the principal castles of the O'Callaghans (Ó Murchadha 1985, 67). Said to have been ruined in wars of 1641 after which forfeited by O'Callaghans (Grove White ibid.). 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