Drumcondra Castle (in Ruins) — Drumcondra

On the top of a gravel knoll (c. 80m E-W; c. 60m N-S) surrounded by bog and reclaimed grassland. The knoll is approached via a causeway (L c. 30m; Wth c. 4m; H c. 0.8m) from the SE. On top of the knoll is a rectangular bawn (20m N-S; 26m E-W) with fragmentary remains of a tower at its SW corner and a gateway near the S end of its E wall. Only the N (L 7.4m; T 1m) and the return of the E (L 3.5m; T 0.9m) walls of the tower now stand to two storeys; they are built of uncoursed limestone blocks in a lime mortar. At ground-floor level there is a doorway near the W end of the N wall, almost entirely destroyed. In the NW corner are the remains of a spiral stairs, the inside wall of which is entirely gone. The stumps of some stone steps survive at first-floor level. The stairwell is lit by a slit window at ground and first-floor level; there is also a gun loop in the side of the stairs facing N at a higher level. Also at ground-floor level are two splayed gun loops in the N wall. The E wall now terminates at the side of a window embrasure. Between ground and first-floor levels was a wooden floor, the joist-holes for which are evident on the inside face of the N wall. At first-floor level the E wall breaks off, again, at the side of a window embrasure. In the N wall are remains of another doorway, set slightly E of the one below; it too is almost entirely ruined. Above this level was another floor joisted into the N wall. The walling does not survive above this level. Of the same build as the tower is a wall running N (L c. 6.3m) from its NE corner. This has been reduced in height to ground-floor level; there are remains of a window embrasure just short of the junction with the tower. The extent of this annexe is unknown but its E wall was in line with that of the tower judging by the vertical scar on the E end of the N face of the tower. Just N of centre within the bawn is a low featureless stump of walling (L 5m; T 2m). Near the NW corner of the bawn, lying on the ground, is a dressed block of limestone which formed part of an arch over the door. The bawn gateway is situated near the S end of the E side, overlooking the causeway. Only the S side of the gateway opening survives; there is no indication of a structure inside but the ground level dips steeply down towards the opening. Flanking the gateway is a single gun loop on either side. There are no other apparent features on the bawn wall though stretches of it have been repaired and rebuilt in the recent past. Known locally as Doonamurry Castle (pers. comm. M. A. Timoney), O'Rorke ([1889], vol. 2, 236) refers to a castle in Doonamurray which was captured by O'Donnell in 1516. According to local information, much of the stone was removed to construct the nearby Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties railway line (now closed) towards the end of the 19th century (pers. comm. M. A. Timoney). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008