Outlined — Rathconnell

Situated at W edge of high ridge overlooking steep fall in ground to N and W with Rathconnell Church (WM019-041-----) and graveyard (WM019-041001-) 95m to S. The courtyard of 19th century Rathconnell Court appears to incorporate the NW flanking gun-tower (int. diam. 2.43m; Wall T 0.7m) of a 17th century bawn which was converted into a dovecote. The later 19th century courtyard wall appears to have been built onto the corner tower of an earlier 17th century bawn possibly contemporaneous with Rathconnell Castle site (WM019-040001-) located 30m to NE. The gun tower appears to have been built into the E side of a possible Anglo-Norman motte castle. Today there are two flat headed doorways (Wth 0.9m) into the tower at E and SE, the latter appears to have been a window converted into a later entrance. The upper level of the tower was converted into a dovecote with the insertion of stone built pigeon nesting holes. At the junction between the bawn wall and the tower at E there is a gun loop (int. Wth 0.5m x H 0.4m; ext. Wth 0.13m) which provided flanking fire along the external face of the N wall of the bawn. A broken out window opening is visible to the W of the gun loop at ground floor level. A straight joint in the N wall of the bawn a short distance to the E indicates where the 19th century courtyard wall was added onto or replaced the earlier bawn wall. The NW angle tower was described in 1976 as 'a circular stone tower (with crenellations in folly style) has been erected. The lower courses appear to be old and curtain loops. The upper courses are probably coeval with the ruins of Rathconnell Court directly to the SE. The tower functioned as a dovecote with inter square ‘pigeon’ holes and entrance on E. Unroofed. The top of the motte is a level platform on the N with a raised mounded area on the S. The fairly modern Rathconnell Court (now also in ruins) was erected on the S sector of the bailey and one of the garden walls runs to the Tower (Dovecote) and may be early – part of the bawn wall. Apart from the base of the tower nothing remains of the castle except some stone/earth banks & low depressions located between the Court and the bailey' (ASI Field Report by Thomas Fanning, 26/04/1976). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 April 2019