Castle (in Ruins) — Bawnmadrum

Situated on a break in a NE-facing slope in gently rolling pastureland, overlooking a boggy plain to the N, with the site of an enclosure (1314) c. 42m to the SE. The Civil Survey of 1654-6 simply refers to 'the walls of an old Bawne' and lists 'Thomas Magher of Bollybane Esqr. Irish Papist' as proprietor (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 9). According to the OS Letters the 'Castle or keep (TN017-067003) stood at the south east end where its foundations are still indistinctly traceable' (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 2, 82). The ITA Survey of 1943 mentions 'foundations of several outbuildings' to the S (OPW files), no remains of which are now visible. The N (L 33m; T 1.8m) and E (L 28.4m; H c. 8m) walls of the bawn are fairly intact, built of roughly coursed sandstone rubble with poor sandy-clay pebble mortar. There is a slight base-batter (H 2.2m; Wth c. 0.2m) and evidence of a parapet on both walls. The W wall is still visible though overgrown with grass while the S wall has been levelled. A breach in the E end of the N wall (Wth 4.6m) appears to have contained the original entrance though there is a low grass-covered wall crossing the breach. There is an arched niche in the inside face of its eastern terminal and a short section of wall projects out at a splayed angle to the wall of the bawn. A steep drop immediately N of the bawn wall is the result of quarrying to provide stone for building, also giving additional defence. Low mounds in the interior do not conform to any recognisable pattern. 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. Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008