Ryves Castle

Westropp (1906-7, 196) recorded the following details about a castle in Ballyscaddan also known as Ryves Castle or Castle Jane; 'The name probably from the Tipperary family of Scadan or Hareng. Beal atha na sgadán (O'Donovan). 1229 R. de Burgo gave seisin of Baliscadan to W. de Marisco (C.S.P.I.). 1657 Bealenescadane (D.S.A., 54, exp.). 1667 Confirmed to Jo. Ryves (Act Sett.). Ryves C[astle]. on "site of C.[astle] Jane" in new maps. A most doubtful site'. The present townland name of Ryves Castle replaced the earlier townland name of Ballyscaddan or Béal Átha na Scadán. The Ordnance Survey Field Name Books for Ballyscaddan parish recorded that Ryves Castle House was 'formerly called Castle Jane'. The terrier of the Down Survey parish map of Ballyscaddan recorded that 'upon Bealanescadane Is the Stumpe of a Castle & a few Cabbins' (NLI, MS 718). In 1640 the lands of Ballyscaddan belonged to 'John FitzGibbon of Bealanescaddane' (ibid.). In 1655 the Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that John FitzGibbon of Ballyscaddan, an Irish papist was the owner of Ballyscaddan 'whereon stands a Castle out of Repaire and a Mill seate [LI041-073----] (Simington 1938, 233). On the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map the house annotated Ryves Castle was known in the 18th century as Castle Jane and may have been built on the site of or close to the site of the medieval castle of Ballyscaddan which belonged in 1640 to John FitzGibbon. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 5 August 2021 See attached ASI aerial photographs ASIAP – 342/12 on 05/01/2003.

Ryves Castle, also known as Castle Jane, was likely built by the Scadan or Hareng family of Tipperary in the late medieval period. It is remembered for its historical association with local Gaelic families and its possible connection to the nearby townland of Ballyscaddan.