Ballymooney Castle in Ruins — Oakleypark

Situated on slightly elevated ground in a low-lying area with marsh land to the W. Fortified house and bawn wall (OF039-001003-) with NE and SE corner tower still surviving. The NE corner tower (ext. diam. 4.3m; wall T 0.8m) of the bawn (OF039-001003-) is two storeys high with gun loops at both levels and wall-walk at roof level. The SE tower has the same dimensions. Only the E part of the original bawn wall survives with no evidence of original bawn to the S and W. The house itself consists of a central block flanked on both sides by a gable fronted tower of different heights. The W tower is four storeys high with the E tower being three storeys high. The front of the house is aligned at an angle so the windows in the main block would receive light from the sun which would otherwise be blocked by the flanking towers. Only the S facade of the main block survives with evidence of two large windows now destroyed at first floor level. The two towers project southwards beyond the external face of the main block with the main entrance located on the E wall of the W tower. The two centred doorway is constructed from finely punch dressed limestone with evidence of a yett hole and hanging eye inside the door. The door is protected by a machicolation at wall walk level. The door leads to a spiral stairs now destroyed from which the main rooms of the central block were accessed. On the S face of this tower at fourth floor level there is a large fireplace with rectangular chimney stack above. There is evidence of a wall walk at this level. Directly below this fireplace there is a small round headed window with slop stone beneath. There are no architectural features visible on the E tower, except to note that it is three storeys high. All the evidence points to a late medieval date possibly late 16th/early 17th-century. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 May 2011