Dunalley Castle (in ruins) — Gortshaneroe

Situated on a N-facing slope of rising ground in an upland area. Described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as the 'castle of Dunally paretly repaired at the Common Wealthes charge with a little barbicon' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 245). John Kennedy is listed as proprietor in 1640 (ibid.). Colonel Henry Prittie received confirmation of his land grant from Charles II which included Dunalley Castle on June 26, 1678, he was attainted in 1689 by James II parliament held in Dublin (Debrett 1820, 1266-7). In 1800 Henry Prittie was created 1st lord Dunalley (ibid., 1268). According to Lewis (1837, 187) ‘the ancient castle of Dunalley, which gives the title of Baron to the Prittie family. This castle was beseiged by the disbanded soldiery of Jas. II., who, after investing it for 21 days, effected an entrance by treachery, and threw Mr. Henry Prittie, its proprietor, from the summit of it, but he escaped unhurt. Here are also the ruins of the old church (TN026-085001-), with a burial-ground (TN026-085002-) attached, which, is the place of sepulture of the Prittie family. An abbey, of which there are no vestiges, is said to have been founded here in 540’. In 1840 the ruins of Dunalley Castle were described by the Ordnance Survey as following; ‘there remains at present merely fragments of the north and west walls about sixteen feet [4.8m] in height at the northwest corner and a fragment of the south wall and a very small portion of the east wall at the southeast corner, which is much shattered. On the east side of the portion of the south wall remaining appears a small portion of what seems to have been the interior of the circular staircase. There are also detached fragments of the building scattered around the portion standing. The parts of the north and west walls which remain are much broken. As nearly as can now be determined this building measured on the inside from east to west twenty and a half feet [6.2m] and nineteen and three-quarter feet [6m] from north to south. The walls are about six and a half feet [1.9m] in thickness, built of limestone mixed with some grit-stones and grouted. Small portions of the external wall remain at the distance of seven paces eastward of the castle. At the distance of about five paces in the same direction there lies a large cut grit-stone, which formed part of a round-arch. This castle is said to have anciently belonged to the O’Kennedys. From it Lord Dunally takes his title. A considerable portion of the building existed until about twenty years ago, when it fell. Dunally Castle is situated on the ascent to a lofty hill’. Destroyed by modern commercial quarrying in the late 1970s. A large pond created by the quarrying operations is now located where the medieval castle was depicted on the OS 6-inch maps. 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 revised upload: 12 July 2016