Drimnagh Castle

Now located on the grounds of the Christian Brother’s monastery and school on the Long Mile Road, this castle is associated with the Barnewall family from the 13th to the early 17th century (Ball 1899, 95-6; Ball 1906, 125-132; Mc Dix 1897, 49-50: Anon 1914, 780). A rectangular moat (L 61m, W 45m) crossed by a stone-arched bridge (1780) on the E side leads onto a three-storey oblong tower incorporating a segmental-arched gateway. It has a projecting stair turret on the S side, lit by slit loops and a flattened arched ope with chamfered jambs. The main chambers of the gate tower are lit by later inserted windows. The gate tower adjoins the S end of a great hall of 14th-16th-century date. This rises to two storeys over a vaulted basement and is entered from the courtyard by an outer staircase. This building has been considerably altered. The N wing rises to two storeys and is of probable 17th century date. An isolated NE tower may be part of the early defences of the castle. Limited excavations in 1992 and 1993 at the NW of the castle within the area enclosed by the moat revealed a stone-filled pit which contained 13th-15th century pottery and a drilled roof slate (Mullins 1993, 14; Mullins 1994, 13).