Belleck Castle — Ballina (tirawley By.)

Located in the grounds of Ballina House, built against an elevated terrace on the W bank of the Moy, on the N edge of Ballina town. It is sited at a slight bend and narrowing of the river, and opposite to its confluence with a tributary river, the Brusna. The OS Letters (1838, 74-5) record that a castle once stood in the grounds of the present-day Ballina House, which was built in the 1830’s by Edward Howley, a catholic magistrate: ‘In this Parish about a mile north of Ballina and on the west bank of the Moy is shewn the site of the Castle of Belleck-Moy, a considerable portion of the ruins of which was visible in the memory of the old natives, but no part of which is now traceable. It stood on the hill over the Moy between Mr. Howley’s House and the river.’ The castle was built in 13th century and held by the Barretts. In the 15th century the Burkes were in dispute with the Barrets over ownership of the castle amongst other properties. A resolution of the dispute in 1584 saw Walter Kittage Bourke gain possession of the castle. Knox (1908) records that Kittage Bourke did not hold Belleek for long, as the English gained possession of it and it became a garrison. In 1595 Bourke regained possession, but by 1630 it was owned by Sir William Fenton, and ownership continued to change in succeeding years. Henry (2012, 4-6) identified a possible remnant of the castle, consisting of a three storey, stone-built tower-like building, which is incorporated into the E end of a 19th- century brick and rubble-built stable block. The stable block lies c. 30m to ENE of Ballina House, and consists of a range of interconnected two-storey, slate-roofed buildings, which form the N and W sides of a rectangular walled courtyard, accessed through a cut-stone arched entrance on the S side. The rectangular, three storey building or tower (6.10m N–S; at least 4m E–W) is built against the E-facing slope of the terrace overlooking the Moy. The base of the E wall of the building is set back c. 4-5m from the river’s edge, and is now separated from the river by a trackway (Wth 3-4m). At ground level, the W wall of the building is built against the natural slope, but at first and second floor level the W wall it is incorporated into the E end of the N range of the 19th century stable block, and it is roofed by a continuation of the slated roof of the stable building. The 19th-century modification of the building makes examination and interpretation difficult. The exterior walls are rendered, but at the base of the E wall a portion of the original stone work -mortared limestone blocks- is visible. No original windows are apparent. Square windows, lined with brickwork, have been inserted into the E wall at ground and second floor levels, and into the S wall at first floor level, and a doorway has been inserted at ground level toward the E end of the N wall. The doorway opens into a small vaulted chamber (3.10m N–S; 3.10m E–W), lined and roofed with red brick, which occupies part of the ground floor level, but does not allow access to the rest of the building. It is not possible to examine the W wall of the building, which now forms the end wall of the 19th-century range of farm buildings: Entry can be gained to the ground floor of this range, which because it is built on top of the terrace brings one to first floor level of the tower, but the wall face is heavily plastered and no diagnostic features are evident. Access to the upper floor of the stable range is not possible due to the unstable condition of the building. The base of the E-facing slope of the terrace, immediately to S of the stone building, is faced with a stone (H 1-1.25m). This is rather dilapidated and partly collapsed, and largely obscured by ivy and vegetation. It extends to S for c. 14m curving to SW to meet a projection from the S wall of the courtyard of the stable range. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 17 April 2018