Site of Pallas Castle — Graigue (dorrha Par.)

Situated on a slight rise of ground in undulating countryside with nearby Pallas river to the W. Described as an 'old ruined irrepayarable castle and bawne' in the Civil Survey (1654-6) (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 322). Daniell Kenedy is listed as proprietor in 1640 (ibid.). The OS Letters describe the bawn wall as standing to a height of 12ft (3.6m) and measuring 3ft 9in (1.1m) thick (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 3, 30). A farmyard and farmhouses are now located on site of the castle and bawn (TN005-006002-) leaving no visible remains at ground level. Tower House type castle depicted standign opposite the medieval mill on the 17th century Down Survey map of the parishes of Dorrha and Bunacum (NLI, Ms. 721) Pallas Castle ruins described in 1840 as following; ‘Palace old Castle stood a short distance to the S.West of the Church. It is now entirely demolished & part of a wall belonging to the bawn walls is still to be seen at the place. It is a structure of limestone and lime and sand mortar. Its height is about 12 feet [3.65m]. Thickness of the wall is 3 feet 9 inches [1.14m]. There two thatches stables apparently, at one extremity, one attached to each side. Between these stables is apparently on the old wall a stone chimney’ (O’Flanagan 1930, vol. 3, 30; OSL Dorrha Parish RIA MS 14/F/20/4/(v)). The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 12 October 2020