What is recorded here

Half castle, half kitchen now, Tyrrellspass keeps its fire. Built by the Tyrrel family around 1410, it still stands with five storeys, a spiral stair and two small round towers jutting like fists. In 1597, Richard Tyrrel and Piers Lacy ambushed an English force nearby, proving the pass could bite back. Today people eat inside the old guard tower, unaware that the walls have watched hunger, battle and forgetfulness for centuries.

Tyrrellspass Castle ruins (WM039-001----) were restored in the 1970s and now functions as the Tyrrellpass Castle restaurant. The medieval tower house and bawn was described by Salter (2004, 156) as following; 'Dendrochronological tests upon an oak floor beam over the lowest level of this tower built by the Tyrrel family suggested a construction date of 1410. During the 1980s it was restored from a derelict state by Laurence Ginnell, and on the south side are ogival-headed lancets then brought from the castle (WM031-086----) of Syonan, whilst three two-light windows came from the ruined church (WM038-017006-) at Kilbeggan. The SE end contains a tier of small rooms over the entrance and the spiral stair. There are five storeys, with a pointed vault over the second level, and there are double-stepped battlements and two circular bartizans. A modern wing is hidden away at the back. Adjoining the tower on the SE is a circular flanker of the former bawn. Near here in 1597 Richard Tyrrel and Piers Lacy ambushed and destroyed an English force under Christopher Barnewall'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 December 2019

Tyrrellspass Castle was built by the de Burgos in the 13th century and later held by the Tyrrell family, after whom the town is named. It is remembered as a well-preserved example of a medieval tower house and as a historic landmark in west Meath.

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