Ballygrennan Castle
Ballygrennan Castle is situated about 1.5 km southeast from Bruff town. It consists of a tower house within bawn walls and it is a listed national monument.
The castle is described by Westropp as a late 16th-century house, with extensive outbuilding and a court with an outer gate. It was mentioned in 1583 when apart was held by W. ffoxe and that it had been held by Gerald, Earl of Kildare and his ancestors. In 1621 it was granted to Dr J. Metcalf and G. Jones. In the mid 17th century the Civil Survey recorded that James Fox held the castle, orchard, and fishing weir out of repair for which he paid 17 shillings and 6 pence per annum to the Earl of Kildare. Later it was sold to G. Evans, this was confirmed in 1667. His grandson was created Baron Carbery, in 1715.
Ballygrennan castle is classified as a tower house. This is a type of smaller square or rectangular castle up to 4 or 5 storeys with a base batter and usually with battlements of stepped merlons and machicolations. They were generally built from the later fourteenth century to the seventeenth century. In Ballygrennan the tower measures 13.6m x 8m and has 4 floors (including ground level) with a fifth storey attic level enclosed by the parapet wall surrounding the top of the tower.
Tower houses were surrounded by defended enclosures or farmyard known as bawns. There are two bawns at Ballygrennan, one to the south and contains the tower and an early 17th-century house which seems to have been built on to the southwest of the tower. Another extension to the north of the tower is enclosed by a large bawn. The extension may have contained stables on the ground floor with accommodation above.
Castle is not accessible to the public, but it can be viewed from the roadside.
- Contact:
- Ballygrennan Castle, Meadagh, County Limerick, Ireland