Moygara Castle (in Ruins) — Moygara

On a slight prominence in undulating pasture, overlooked by higher ground to S but with extensive views N-SE and overlooking Lough Gara to SE. Moygara Castle consists of a square bawn (L 51m) enclosed by a curtain wall with a tower at each corner, a gate-tower in the centre of the W side, and the lower courses of a rectangular structure along the inside of the N wall (see plan in Casey 1992). The entire complex is built of uncoursed rubble stone in a lime mortar. The earliest part of the complex would appear to be the rectangular structure (17m E-W; 12.5m N-S) which stands on the N side of the bawn, its N wall roughly on the same line as the curtain wall. This structure appears to pre-date the curtain wall as the curtain is butted up against its NW corner; the junction with the curtain wall at the NE corner is obscured by collapsed rubble. The only evident intact feature of the rectangular structure is a vertical shaft (1.4m x 0.65m) just inside its NW corner, which is probably the shaft for a garderobe. Otherwise the structure is largely reduced to an uneven mound of rubble covered by sod. The curtain wall stands close to full height (average H 3.3m; T 1.24m) but is now topped by a sod layer with no indication of the original finish. Along all four walls, just above present ground level, are roughly evenly spaced gun loops: five in the N wall; ten in the E wall; thirteen in the S wall; and ten in the W wall. These loops are plain lintelled embrasures splayed from a small rectangular opening in the exterior wall-face (int. Wth c. 0.55m; int. H c. 0.7m; H of opening c. 0.2m; Wth of opening c. 0.15m). Some loops look straight through the wall whilst others are angled. Along certain sections of the curtain, the top of the inner face is brought forward by two oversailing courses; this widening of the wall top accommodated a wall walk. The wall is interrupted in three places: a gate-tower in the centre of the W wall; a breach in the centre of the E wall; and along the rectangular structure in the N wall. The gate-tower stood to at least two storeys but is now very ruinous; the structure is butt-built against the inside face of the curtain wall and is therefore later in date than the curtain. However, the front doorway (Wth 2.2m) is in the thickness of the curtain wall and is probably contemporary with it. Only the basal jambs of the outer door surround survive; these have a chamfered edge and a plain stop-chamfer. The door was secured by two drawbars, the sockets of which survive. Lying on the ground here are two limestone keystones (SL044-052002-, SL044-052003-); each has a carving on its outside face but these are now almost worn beyond recognition. One appears to be two figures facing each other whilst the other is a single figure holding something in its arms (SMR (1989) file). Neither of these appears to be the figure of a sheela-na-gig though Guest (1936, 111 and fig. 7) implies that one might be. Inside the doorway is rectangular lobby (3.2m x 2.5m) on the N side of which was a smaller subsidiary chamber that is now almost entirely ruined. The plain round rear archway (Wth 2.15m), which gave access into the bawn, is partially fallen. Roughly in the centre of the E curtain wall is a featureless breach (Wth c. 3m) which is probably recent. The four corner towers are similar in plan and layout but the SW tower stands to three storeys whereas the other three stand only to two. In plan all are slightly angled towards the outside corner in bastion fashion but this angle is very slight and none of the gun loops are positioned to cover the angle with flanking fire. All the door and window frames and the embrasure lintels were made of wood, none of these survive and their absence now greatly weakens the structures. The SW tower's roughly square ground-floor chamber (int. L 5.1m) is entered directly through a doorway from the SW corner of the bawn. The room has no windows but contains seven gun loops, one looking along the outside face of the S curtain wall, and another pair looking along the inside and outside face of the W curtain. The first-floor room is also entered directly through a doorway from the SW corner of the bawn. This room is lit by a window in each wall and was heated by a fireplace in the centre of its W wall. It also contains an array of gun loops, three of which are placed in a central projection in the E wall, overlooking the S curtain wall. The second floor is arranged in a similar fashion but there is no doorway so that entry must have been via an internal wooden staircase. The parapet is embattled with low plain rectangular merlons pierced by very small gun loops. There is a narrow wall walk-along the inside edge. The other three towers are all similarly laid out but with variation in the position of windows, fireplaces and loops. None of these towers now stand higher than two storeys but as none preserve any wall-top features it is unclear if any of them ever stood higher. An additional rectangular structure stood inside the bawn at its SW corner (c. 15m N-S; c. 8m E-W). This is now almost entirely reduced to rubble but is a late addition as its walls butt against the inside face of the curtain and one end partially blocked a gun loop. Moygara Castle was one of the chief residences of the O'Garas (O'Rorke [1889], vol. 2, 364-6; Wood-Martin 1882, 99-100). It was attacked by the O'Donnells in 1538, and again in 1581 by 'a body of mercenary Scots' who burned the buildings (O'Rorke [1889], vol. 2, 364-6). The present complex, excluding the rectangular structure on the N side which is probably the stump of a late medieval tower-house, is probably late 16th/early 17th-century in date judging by the window forms, the proliferation of gun loops and the bastion-like angle of the corner towers. It may be the result of a rebuilding after the attack of 1581. 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). Attached images: SL044-052001-_01.JPG Moygara castle viewed from SW SL044-052001-_02.JPG Moygara castle viewed from SE SL044-052001-_03.JPG E wall of the bawn, viewed from S SL044-052001-_04.JPG N wall of bawn; NW tower in foreground SL044-052001-_05.JPG SW tower viewed from E SL044-052001-_06.JPG SW tower from W SL044-052001-_07.JPG SW tower interior; fireplaces/chimney in the W wall SL044-052001-_08.JPG Gate-tower/entrance in W wall, viewed from exterior SL044-052001-_09.JPG Portcullis recess in S side of entrance SL044-052001-_10.JPG Building abutting N wall in interior of bawn, viewed from SE Date of upload: 18 January 2008