Battery — Kilcleagh

Situated on the demesne lands of Castle Daly now Kilcleagh Park (WM036-011----), which lies c. 285m to NE. A corn mill (WM036-010----) and castle (WM036-011----) lies c. 185m to ENE. Annotated 'Battery' on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map and depicted as a rectangular-shaped earthwork (approx. dims. 27m E-W; 24m N-S). Not shown on revised ed. OS maps. According to O’Donovan (OSNB 34, 37), this is an ornamental mound shaped constructed to resemble an artillery fortification known as a battery. There is a flagstaff on the mound but no military arsenal is mounted. Described in 1977 as a roughly rectangular-shaped platform (approx. dims. 17m x 17m) defined by a ditch with traces of bastions at each corner. The W side is better preserved than the E side. Bushes growing on the edge of the platform and cattle have denuded much of the surface. The earthwork overlooks the old road which runs E-W past Castle Daly now Kilcleagh Park. Monument is visible today as a rectangular-shaped partially tree-lined earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. Possibly the remains of a 17th century star-shaped earthen fort or constructed as an ornamental landscaped feature designed to look like a 17th century artillery fortification on the demesne of Castle Daly (WM036-011----). Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 28 November 2019