Tower — Ballykeefecastle

On a S-facing slope with good views to the S. A pond (dims. c. 18m NE-SW; c. 11m NW-SE) is indicated on the 1st (1839) OS 6-inch map and on the 1899-1900 revision immediately N of the bawn wall and this area is still very wet and waterlogged. A castle (KK022-013001-) within a large bawn is depicted on the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map of Crannagh and on parish map of ‘The Parrish of Ballicallan and parte of the Parrish of Tullohan’ (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin). The terrier accompanying the parish map describes, 'a very Spacious House at Ballykeife with Small Thatcht Houses' and the proprietor in 1640 is listed as the Countess of Ormond (ibid.). Three houses (KK022-013002-; KK022-013003-; KK022-013004-) are depicted outside the bawn on the Down Survey parish map (ibid.). Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 435) notes that, 'James Shortall, who died about 1540, is styled "lord of Balylorcan and of Balykife," on his monument, in St. Canice's Cathedral, and in an inscription in the Black Abbey. He cannot, however, have held the townland otherwise than as feudal tenant of the Ormond family. Thomas, the Black Earl of Ormond, was the owner of Ballykeeffe in 1550; the Duke of Ormond also held it in 1653'. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 436), 'Ballykeeffe castle is now in ruins. The upper portion has been thrown down, but what remains is still some 30 or 40 feet [9-12m] in height'.   A 'Castle (in ruins)' is indicated on the 1st (1839) OS 6-inch map and on the 1899-1900 revision, as well as a 'Tower'. The tower relates to a flanking tower (diam. 5m) on the NW angle of the bawn. The N wall of the bawn (ext. H 4.9m; int. H 3.42m; L c. 21m) runs NE from the flanking tower and this walling appears to have been mistakenly indicated as the castle on the OS maps. There is no visible trace of the castle or fortified house at ground level. The bawn is constructed of roughly coursed limestone rubble and appears to have an internal wall-walk, the top of the wall projects out both internally and externally by c. 0.2m, with the parapet of the wall-walk rising 0.82m above the projection internally and c. 0.5m above the projection externally. The external wall of the bawn, which is heavily ivy clad, has a base-batter (H 1.25m; Wth 0.5m). A large hayshed has been built up against the internal face of the wall. There are at least two narrow flat-headed loops in the wall and also a gun loop at the W end.  The flanking tower, at the W end of the bawn wall, is three storeys high and has a number of loops and gun loops. The W side is obscured by ivy and an adjoining farm building. At ground-floor level there is a loop one facing W, one facing N which has a triangular recess cut into the window head above the flat-headed opening, and one facing NE which is quite crude, possibly rebuilt, as the base of the loop consists of two jambs tilted inwards to form a point. At first-floor level there is a gun loop facing W. At second-floor level there are narrow loops facing S, SW and NW. Externally, at second-floor level, there is a squinch between the tower and the N wall of the bawn. See attached:  KK022-013005-_01 extract from Down Survey (1655-6) barony map of Crannagh (Hib. Reg., courtesy of Trinity College Dublin) KK022-013005-_02 extract from Down Survey (1655-6) parish map of 'Ballicallan and parte of the Parrish of Tullohan’ (Hib. Reg., courtesy of Trinity College Dublin) Compiled by: Jean Farrelly