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Situated on the summit of a low hill in undulating average pasture overlooking Ballysadare Bay. This may be the castle of Bunnina which was established by the English soon after their arrival in Connacht. In 1308 the castle's constable and many other English were slain by the forces of Donnell O'Connor. The castle is also recorded in the Annals of Clonmacnoise as having been burned and plundered by the O'Connors in 1310 (O'Rorke 1890, 397; O'Conor 1994, pers. comm.). After the explusion of the English the O'Connors took control of the castle and it was here in 1494 that Donnell O'Conner was killed by his own cousins in a dispute over chieftanship (O'Rorke, ibid.). Remains comprise a high, steep-sided, oval-shaped mound of earth and stone (H 4m - 5m). The level summit (dims. 29.4m N-S; 23.8m E-W) is enclosed by a low bank of earth and stone revetted with stone (Wth. 2m - 3m; int. H 0.3m). Break in bank at SSE (Wth. 2.2m) with an accompanying ramp which extends down the slope represents original entrance. No fosse or bailey. Exposed soil on the external face of the mound contains fragments of oyster shell. Local tradition that stonework had been removed from the site to build an adjacent farmhouse and the 'Castle Lodge'. (Kilgannon 1926, 289-91; CUCAP BGM 29).
See also SL013:098---- and SL019:192----*
Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan
Date of upload: 19 January 2011
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