Castle (in ruins) — Poulakerry (kilsheelan Par.)

On a flat, level terrace overlooking the River Suir c.100m to SW. A notarial deed of 1525 concerns Richard and Theobald Butler, sons of William son of John Butler, Lord of 'Powyllykyri' (COD IV, 92). An order of 1547 concerns the exchange of his interest in 'Pollewherie', assigned to the Lady Dowager of Ormond (COD V, 22). The ITA Survey (1942) refers to 'protests made in the sixteenth century by the people of Clonmel againt the plundering of their boats on the river by Walter Butler of Poulakerry; and about 1560 the Lord of the Castle was James Butler'. According to the Civil Survey (1652-4) the lands at Poulakerry were owned by 'Richard Butler fitz Wm. of Polkerry deceased Esqr Irish Papist' in 1640, and 'Uppon the said lands of Polkerry stands an old castle neere the River of Shewer (being the sd Richard Butlers Mansion house) wch was in the yeare 1650 demolished and sithence repaired at the charge of the Comonwealth and garrysouned' (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 276). The taking of this castle is recorded in the ‘English official chronicle of the Irish wars’ as follows: ‘Adjutant General Sadler, battered Polkerry, near Clonmell, the enemy refusing to come out, he stormed it, put 30 and odde to the sword, and the rest remaining obstinate, were fired in the castle.’ (Gilbert 1879-80, iii, 164). The ITA Survey (1942) mentions that during the Cromwellian confiscations the property passed to James Rathorne, whose family was later attainted by the Parliament of James II in 1689. This four/five storey tower house (ext. dims. 9.62m N-S; 11.75m E-W) is built of a mixture of sandstone and limestone rubble, randomly coursed, with high base-batter (H 4m; Wth 0.46m). The battlements do not survive. The NW angle is built directly onto rock outcrop. The tower house was restored in the 1970s and is currently inhabited. It was not possible to access the interior at the time of inspection, but it was visited in 1942 (ITA Survey) and described as follows 'the rectangular keep standing at a height of about 70ft. [21m] and measuring 171/2 ft. [c.5m] by 26 ft. [c.8m] internally. Its walls at the base are 81/2 ft. [c.2.6m] thick...and contains two vaulted floors, and the usual zig-zag stairway'. The tower house was originally entered through a pointed doorway in the S of the E wall, with a yett-hole at apex and on N side. It is raised above external ground level and is now accessed by steps. Later doorways have been inserted at ground-floor level in the centre of the N and W walls. The former is a crude copy of the original doorway and the latter is accessed up a flight of steps. The lower floor levels are lit by flat-, round- and ogee-headed single-light windows while the top floor is lit by ogee-headed two-light windows in the E and W walls. Most of the windows have sandstone surrounds. Angle-lights at the NE and SE angles at first-floor level, the SW angle at second-floor level and the NW angle at third-floor level may be lighting a mural stairs. A garderobe chute exits 1.2m above the external ground level, E of centre in the S wall. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of revised upload: 5 March 2018