Seskin Castle

Just below the crest of the gently sloping W side of the Nore river valley, amongst rolling and mostly reclaimed grassland. There are good views to N and S along the valley, E across the valley and W into the neighbouring stream valley. The castle is indicated on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map as a rectangular building (dims. c. 14m NE-SW; c. 7-8m NW-SE). The OS Letters (1839) state that the locals, 'show the site of a Castle in Seskin Mountgarret Townland encompassed by a half closed up trench; the people here call it Castle Mountgarret' (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 96). According to O'Kelly (1985, 54), the castle is associated with the Butler Mountgarret family. The castle is not visible at ground level. It may have occupied a regular platform (max. dims. 50m E-W, 42m N-S) with slight embankment at N and S sides. It has a steep embankment at W and terraced scarp at E. There are earthworks (KK004-019002-) within this field to the N, E, S and W which may be associated with the castle.