Ballynunnery Castle in ruins — Ballynunnery

The following description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 July 2007 OS Namebooks record 'the ruins of a Castle … with part of one tower standing'. According to O'Toole (JKAS 1933, 301, 304-5) who includes a photograph, 'portion of the tower … is about 12 feet in height, and has walls 5 feet thick. Several of the out houses of the present farm house, seem to be have been portion of the out buildings of the Castle. In one there is a splayed window, which is 2 feet 10 inches wide inside, and narrows to 1 foot 8 inches on the outside; the wall is 3 feet thick'. Tower and some out houses have been levelled. Remains appear to belong to fairly substantial building. Down Survey (1655-6) map records castle and mill downstream (CW013-021----). Dineley's sketch of 1680 shows a complex of buildings including two tall square, gabled towers but no obvious signs of fortification (JRSAI 1862-3, 46-7).