Indicated — Ballycarty

The location of possible castle listed by Coleman (1909, 150) in the townland of Ballycarty (Béal Átha na Ceártan), parish of Ballyseedy, barony of Trughanacmy was thought to have been replaced by Ballycarty House which was built as residence for the Nash family between 1765-70 (Bary 1994, 728). In 1643 the 1641 Deposition of Arthur Blenerhasset was described as 'Arthure Blenerhasset late of Ballycartan, the Countie of Kiery gentleman' (TCD MS 828, fol. 199r). The 1641 Deposition of Josyas White who is described as 'late of the Towne of Ballymacarty parish of Ballyshidy barony of Trehonackne & within the County of keiry weaver (a british protestant duely sworne & examined before us by vertu of his Majesties Commission' who described the existence of a milll associated with 'Edward Thorne one of the ward of ballycarty and miller to Robert Blener=hasset of Ballycarty aforesaid {did?} by the permission of thise said Robert grind Corne oftentimes for the {r}ebelles att the seidge of Tralee and the said Robert had two partes {o}f the toll for the you se use of his mill and since that time the said Edward {h}ath often times ground wheate for Captain Morrish mc Ellegott for to macke {h}im Bisket' (TCD MS 828, fol. 206r; 217r). The 1641 Deposition of Michaell Vine, shoemaker in Tralee recorded that 'about the last of Novemb: Last about the time that the castle of Ballycarty was yeilded up to the rebells they saw these persons sweare upon the bible and on theire knees to the oath of association with the rebbells vizt Robert Blener {Hasset} aforesaid John West of Kilcou Esquire James Conuay of Cloughan gentleman Henry Hudley of the Manee in the parish of Ratlasse gentleman, before Charles mc Carty of the Pal{ace} Esquire Donell Oge mc Carty of nere Kilarney Esquire, Dermod of Dingle Esquire taken before them as Commissioners of the Com Councell in Ballycarty Castle' (TCD MS 828, fol. 209v). The 1641 Deposition of John Abraham stated that; 'about the middle of december 1641 Nicholas Roberts above said he & his wife & two children were forst to goe to <A> a Castle caled Ballycarty about two miles from Tralee and aboute three hundred of men women & children with them & were there from the tyme above mencioned untill the twenteth day of November 1642 & were never beseidged by any of the rebells but the Castle was yelded upp by the constable of the said Castle being a freholder of the said castle under Sir Edward Denny knight one Mr Robert Blenar Hassett of the saide Caste of Ballycarty Esquire and yeilded it upp without the Consent of any of the three above named warders of the same or any other to their knowledge being delivered to Collonell donnell Og mcCarty dwelling nere to Killarny barony of Magunny' (TCD MS 828, fol. 211r). In 1884 the following details about Ballycarty Castle were recorded; 'There is a small square tower on Ballycarty, which was probably a Geraldine fortress before 1584. The castle or mansion mentioned in the depositions stood a little to the south-west of the present Ballyseedy House. Extensive ruins still remain thereabout of a castle or mansion with a bawn or strong outward wall' (Hickson 1884, 124). Ballycarty House was burnt by the Republicans in the Civil War in January 1923. The ruins were mostly cleared when a new Ballycarty House was built at the site in 2009, though it does incorporate some of the 18th century structure. However, recent research by Mark Humphrys identified the remains of a ruinous building located to the NE of Ballycarty House which may be the remains of Ballycarty Castle (https://humphrysfamilytree.com/Blennerhassett/ballycarty.html). In 1786 the following details were recorded about Ballycarty; 'A mile beyond Arbella, on the L.[eft] close to the roadside, are ruins of Ballycarthy castle, the property of Mr. Nash' (Wilson 1786, 186). Ballycarty Castle and its siting was described by local historian Bill Jehan as follows; there is a ruin NE of Ballycarty House. It is the building just E of the "Lodge", on bank of River Lee, near the old bridge over the river. It is close to "an ancient and beautiful bridge that once carried the old coach road to Tralee". According to Bill Jehan the precise location of old Ballycarty Castle is uncertain. It may have been incorporated into the later Ballycarty House, but the parts of Ballycarty watermill, whose ruins survive close by on the bank of the River Lee, appear strong enough to have been defensive - if so perhaps the old castle was adapted to become the mill." During the rebellion of 1641 John Blennerhassett lived in a house within the bawn or "strong outer wall" surrounding Ballycarty Castle, this probably the same house that was later to develop into the 18th century Ballycarty House. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 27 May 2022