Outlined — Clonkeen (kilkenny West By.)

Cashlanalotta also known as Loghter Castle is marked as ‘Castle Ruins’ on Magan Estate map of 1820 (NLI 14 A 21 (21). ‘Loghter Castle’ is depicted as a tower house type fortification standing on the S side of the Inny River beside the meeting point with the Owenacharra River on the Down Survey (1655-59) map of Kilkenny West barony (NLI Mss. 723-4). The terrier of the Down Survey of Noughaval parish records that in ‘Clonekeene standes a castle called Laghter Castle’ which stood on lands belonging to James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon in 1641. On the Down Survey parish map it recorded that the townland of Clonkeen was then 'part of the Baronie of Shrowle in the Countie of Longford given out to Capt. Edmonds in the year 1653' (ibid.). Loghter Castle is shown on this map standing on a triangular shaped parcel of land defined by the Inny River to N, and by the Owenacharra River and Lough Ree immediately to W in the area where the townland of Annagh stands today, the S boundary is formed by water-filled ditch cut between the Inny River and the Owenacharra and Lough Ree. Today the castle stands on S side of the Inny River which marks the county boundary with Longford, the townland of Barnarcor lies on the N side of the river at this location. The Owenacharra River to the W also marks the county boundary with Longford. Described by Lewis (1837, vol. 2, 555) as ‘the remains of the castle of Barnacor [Co. Longford] (LF026-028----), apparently built to defend the pass of the river [Inny] in conjunction with Lot’s castle marked [Cashlanalotta] on the opposite bank’. On the 1837 OS Fair Plan a small rectangular ruin with its long axis NW-SE is marked as ‘Cashlanalotta Old Castle’. This building, or Lot’s Castle is indicated on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map where it is depicted standing immediately S of the meeting point between the Inny River and the Owencharra River. On this map the building is depicted as a small rectangular structure with its long axis orientated NW-SE. On the 1905 25-inch OS map the building is depicted as a ruinous structure of which only the SW side wall and S gable survives standing on top of a mound with a second irregular-shaped platform located a few metres to the S which is outlined on the current OSI 5K map. In 1975 the monument was described as ‘a complex of earthworks there which should be planned. The two earthworks indicated on the current 6-inch OS map were almost completely obliterated by heavy machinery when draining the Inny. The earthworks probably belonged to the little structure’ (SMR File, 08/05/1975). In 1978 this monument was described as ‘a very large and very complex site of earthworks, moats and fish pond. The castle site proper has been destroyed by drainage works’ (SMR File 16/06/1978). In 1981 the monument was described as ‘a complex site situated at the junction of the rivers Inny and Ownechara. Both rivers have been subject to extensive drainage. The spoil from the river drainage has been spread in banks beside the river. This makes it very difficult to determine the outline of the original earthworks. The site appears to consist of two earthworks situated beside one another. The one nearest the river Inny is a raised earthen platform, roughly circular in shape. The N & W sides of it are now very much obscured by spoil heaps from the drainage. The second earthwork is a flat rectangular enclosure. This is slightly raised and is surrounded by a low earthen bank. It is somewhat obscured on W side by a spoil heap from river drainage. There are indications of a broad shallow ditch outside of this enclosure. To the E of it there is a complex system of banks and ditches which seems to be the result of recent drainage. The earthwork is situated in flat land beside the river’ (SMR file, 30/10/1981). On the OSI aerial photos a complex series of earthworks can be seen to the S and SE of this castle. To the S of the castle site can be seen the outline of a large rectangular enclosure, with linear earthworks to the E of this rectangular enclosure which may have functioned as fish-ponds. These earthworks appear to form wide water channels possibly to diver water from the Inny into the earthworks and the enclosure to the S of the castle. The earthworks appear to be related to some form of water management which may be contemporaneous with the castle. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 October 2012