Aylwardstown House
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The Strange Family of Aylwardstown, Glenmore
Today, as our fifth excerpt from Carrigan’s, The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory, v. 4 p. 94-95 (1906) we feature what he published concerning the Strange family of Aylwardstown, Glenmore as well as information that Danny Dowling collected and recorded regarding the last of the family to live in Aylwardstown House.
The Strongs, Strangs or Stranges
They were settled at Waterford, from an early period, and held a foremost place among its citizens. Richard Strong was Mayor of the city in 1484 or 1485; Peter Strong in 1560; Paul Strange in 1597; Thomas Strange in 1607; and Richard Strange in 1634. At least two of them represented the city in Parliament, viz. Peter Strong in 1559 and Richard Strange in 1634. To this stock also belonged the Most Rev. Thomas Strong, Bishop of Ossory from 1582 to 1602, and his nephew, Most Rev. Thomas Walsh (son of Robert Walsh and Anastatia Strong), Archbishop of Cashel from 1626 to 1654.
In course of time the family acquired, probably by purchase, considerable estates in South Kilkenny. About 1560 Peter Stronge held lands to the value of £51, of the manor of Grannagh. Richard Strong, of Waterford, probably his son, is found in possession of the manor of Drumdowney, in 1573, and of the manor of Dunkit, in 1585. Edward Strong of Dunkitt, son and heir of Richard, died June 1st, 1621, being then seised of the manor of Dunkit and of the reversion of the manor of Drumdowney after the death of Thomas Strong; he left issue Richard, his son and heir, then but 12 years old, Thomas, Peter, Joan and Margaret.
Thomas Strong just mentioned, who had been seised of the manor of Drumdowney, and who may have been brother of Edward, of Dunkit, died May 28th, 1625, leaving a son and heir, Laurence, then but 10 years of age.
Another member of the family, Paul Strong of Waterford city, held the fee of several townlands in Inistioge and the Rower. He died Nov. 22nd, 1617, leaving Peter, his son and heir, then aged 39 years. Peter was succeeded, in turn, by Richard, his own son and heir. This Richard appears on the list of those who forfeited in 1653, as do also Peter Strong, of Dunkitt, who was transplanted to Connaght, and Richard Strong, the proprietor of Drumdowney.
Lawrene Strong or Strange, of Drundowney, son of Thomas (who died as above in 1625) is mentioned in one of the depositions of 1641. He was still living in 1661, at which date he was 46 years of age. He was probably the father of Richard Strange, who was appointed a Burgess of Inistioge in 1688, and grandfather of Lawrence Strange, of Aylwardstown. The said Lawrence Strange, of Aylwardstown, in his Will, proved in the year 1720, mentions his brothers James and Pierce Strange; his brother (i.e. brother-in-law) Nicholas Aylward; his sisters, Ellen Walsh, alias Strange, and Mary Kealy alias Strange; his wife Mary Strange, alias Aylward; his eldest son and heir Richard, then a minor; and his other sons, Patrick and Pierce Strange. Some of the later members of this family are mentioned on their monument in Kilmokevoge.
His Eminence, Cardinal Wiseman’s mother was a Miss Strange of Aylwardstown, probably a daughter of Peter, who died in 1824; her sister, Harriet Strange, wife of Mr. James Butler, of Kilmogar, Johnswell, died in 1858 aged 68. [Fr. Carrigan was correct. “Marriages–On the 2d instant, James Butler. Esq. of Killmogar, County Kilkenny, to Harriet, youngest daughter of Peter Strange, Esq. of Aylwardstown, in the same county,” (Freeman’s Journal, Thurs. 13 Nov. 1823, p. 3)] [For further information on Cardinal Wiseman and his visit to Glenmore see our guest author page or click here.]
In Irish, Strange or Strong is pronounced Sthraoung (a monosyllable). Strang’s Mill, in the parish of Kilmacow, is called by Irish speakers, Mwillin a Straounga, i.e. Muilleann.
Danny Dowling’s (1927-2021) Strange Research
In the 1970’s Danny was corresponding with Professor John Mannion of Newfoundland. From his research he informed Professor Mannion that he believed that the Strange family came to Aylwardstown about 1690, as tenants of the new Cromwellian owners, the Ponsonby family of Kildalton, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny. Danny stated that it appeared that the first Strange that came married a girl of the Aylward family. The Aylward family previously owned the Aylwardstown property before Cromwell (DD Notebook 4, Copy of letter from DD to Prof. John Mannion, of Newfoundland dated 10 Dec. 1977).
Danny informed Professor Mannion in 1977 that “some 20 years ago all the Strange family papers were stored in Aylwardstown and burned by a Mrs. Connolly.” Her son Thomas told Danny about the burning in 1975 (DD Notebook 4, Copy of letter from DD to Prof. John Mannion, of Newfoundland, dated 25 January 1977).
Thomas Alexander Strange (1856-1907)
The last of the Strange family to live at Aylwardstown appears to have been Thomas A. Strange (1856-1907). In Danny’s voluminous records we found a copy of a newspaper auction notice for February 1883.
“Received instruction from Thomas A. Strange, Esq., who is giving up his dairy to sell by auction on Thursday, 1 February 1883, at his farm at Aylwardstown, 30 prime young dairy cows, in and with calf at foot, served by a highly bred bull; 6 three year old heifers in calf; 5 two year old heifers; 3 well-bred yearling bulls; 2 five year old Hunters, well known with hounds may be inspected by V.S. before sale; 2 capital farm mares; one sow/ 12 forward store pigs, 40 tons of prime mangolds in lots; carts, tackling, plough, harrows, dairy utensils. Sale at twelve o’clock precisely and terms are cash.” The auctioneers were Thomas Walsh and Son, The Mall, Waterford (Waterford News & Star, Fri.19 Jan. 1883, p. 2).
Also in Danny’s files was another article which may help explain the auction. In January 1882, Thomas Strange entered into a wager with Mr. W. Power of Williamstown regarding their horses. Strange’s horse Garsfield was to race Power’s Hawk over a 2.5 mile hunting course. The bet was for £25, a large sum of money in 1882. Mr. JP Kennedy of George’s Street held the money (Munster Express, 14 Jan. 1882, p. 6). We could not locate an article regarding which horse won the race, but there are other articles regarding Strange and his love of fast horses and racing.
Lily Strange née Jones (b.c. 1863)
On Halloween 1973, Danny interviewed Nicky the Miller Forristal (1888-1979) who provided another reason why Thomas A. Strange may have held an auction and eventually left Aylwardstown.
“Thomas A. Strange married a girl who worked in one of the Waterford Hotels either the Adelphie or the Imperial. She was a barmaid. He was not long married before they left Aylwardstown. She was either an English or Welsh girl…When Thomas A. Strange left Aylwardstown he brought with him Tommy Neill and Anty Walsh to Liverpool where he lived on the outskirts. He had a jarvey car for hire. He got broke there and had to leave off Tommy Neill and Anty Walsh. Tommy Neill then emigrated to America, Anty Walsh returned home and went to work in Tramore.”
The Strange Children
The first English census where we could locate Thomas A. Strange was the 1891 Census for Cheshire, Birkenhead. Thomas Strange was 34, reported that he was born in Ireland and was working as a horse dealer. His wife, Lily Strange, was aged 28, working as a pork butcher, and reported being born in Wrexham. The couple had two children. Thomas Strange, aged 4, born in Ireland, and Lily Strange, aged 6, born in Wrexham. Also, present were three of Lily’s siblings (whose family name was Jones) and Jane Dargan a 21 year-old general servant, born in Ireland.
We were unable to find a marriage record for Thomas A. and Lily, but we did find a birth record for their son. In Dublin North on the 15th of January 1886, Thomas Alexander Strange of East Pier, Howth, farmer and his wife Lily née Jones had a son that they named Thomas.
By 1901 the family was living at 80 Mozart St., in Toxeth Park, Lancashire, and the family consisted of three people. Thomas Strange, aged 44, was a cab proprietor. Lily Strange was 40, and their son Thomas Strange was 15, and employed as a van driver.
Death of Thomas Alexander Strange (1857-1907)
Thomas Alexander Strange, died aged 51, in Sept. 1907. At the time of his death he was living in the workhouse and gave his profession as cab driver. He was buried in the Catholic Section of Anfield Cemetery, of Lancanshire, in a public grave.
The following year, on 19th of April, 1908, at the Parish Church of Liverpool, Thomas (1886-1959) at the age of 22 married Mary Louisa Douglass, aged 21. The groom was working as a cab driver and he listed his father as Thomas Alexander Strange (deceased). The bride was the daughter of Albert Edward Douglass, storehouse keeper. Young Thomas died on 15 December 1959 at Mill Lane Hospital.
Six years after her father’s death, at the Parish Church of Liverpool, on 5 May 1913, Lily Strange (aged 26) married Thomas Birney (aged 30) of Clare Street. The bride recorded that she was the daughter of Thomas Strange, car driver.
We were unable to determine what happened to Lily Strange née Jones, but are hopeful a reader might be able to shed some light on this.
Please send any and all corrections, further information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
The feature photo above is Aylwardstown House taken in 2004 and is courtesy of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
AYLWARDSTOWN, GLENMORE (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling (1927-2021) recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Aylwardstown, Glenmore, around 1961. The Irish for this townland, according to O’Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County Kilkenny Ireland (1969, p. 115) is Baile Aighleirt, which translates as Aylward’s homestead. The townland is comprised of 557 acres and is found in the Civil Parish of Kilmakevoge.
A Brief History
O’Kelly cites Carrigan as stating that Gleann silin, the cherry glen or valley, may have been the ancient name for the area. Aylwardstown House built in 1609 has the date chiselled on the blue limestone, Roman-arched doorway with Celtic design floreated, and the original timbers in the “offices houses” were still in place in 1969. Mr. [James] Kelly, the owner in 1969, stated that his grandfather bought the house and lands from the Strange family.
O’Kelly relates that the Half-way House at the cross-roads was a public house until 1836 when the new New Ross/Waterford main road was opened to traffic. [Locally the new portion of the new road was called the “New Line.”] the Half-way House located on the High Road was by-passed. Until 1836 it was a halting place for the stage coaches. For more information concerning the “New Line,” and “High Road” see our post of 14 December 2019. Fields in Aylwardstown include: Cnoc; Cnoc na gcaor, hill of the berries; Garrai; Gort an leachta, field of the monument; Pairc bheag and Pairc mhor.
The last sentence of O’Kelly’s entry for Aylwardstown states that “Leacht Ui Dheaghdha, the monument of O’Dea is by the main roadway.” According to a snippet inserted by Danny Dowling in the Souvenir Programme in 1981 “…the burial place of the legendary Celtic chieftain O’Dea who gave his name to the Barony of Ida…is opposite this half-way house.” The burial mound survived into the 20th century but no trace of the site now remains. (Glenmore Hurling & Football Club’s, Souvenir Programme (14 May 1981) p. 37 marking the official opening of the club grounds).
Aylwardstown Tenants in 1833
In the 1833 Tithe Applotment Books, the townland of Aylwardstown is found in the civil parish of Kilmacanoge (sic). The townland, along with others, was held by lease by Mr. Strange from the Earl of Bessborough. Laurence Strange was the landlord of the townland although he was not the owner of the land. There are 17 tenants listed in the 1833 Applotment Records including: Laurence Strange Esq., 63 acres; Patrick Murphy, 26 acres; John Heffernan, 26 acres; Edmond Henebry, 26 acres; Pat Delahunty, 13 acres; Dennis Ryan, 19 acres; Thomas Hines, 1 acre; David Kehoe, 2 acres; Thomas Haberlin, 2 acres; Richard Fitzgerald, 25 acres; Pat Fitzgerald, 12 acres; Thomas Kehoe, 9 acres; James Irish, 29 acres; Widow Doherty, 19 acres; James Ryan, 17 acres; and James Morrissey, 26 acres.
Danny’s List
In 1961, Danny recorded 19 families or households in Aylwardstown. Birthdates or birth years are provided for some of the older residents gleaned from available public records. For some time after drafting his notebook, Danny recorded the dates of death or simply recorded that a resident had died or left the townland. The recorded information reveals that in 1961, 96 people resided in Aylwardstown with the population comprised of 50 males and 46 females. The largest family was the Aylward family with 11 in the household. There was 1 household recorded with a person living alone (James Fitzgerald known locally as Jim Bryant). All information under residents of Aylwardstown not in Danny’s original list has been placed in square brackets[ ].
Recorded Residents
Males= 50
Females= 46
Eldest Recorded Resident
The eldest resident recorded in the townland was Alice Harrison née Morrissey (2 April 1874) who was 86 years of age in 1961. Alice died on 16 June 1962 at Aylwardstown, Glenmore, at the age of 87. Alice was a widow and her niece Mrs. Mary Aylward née Morrissey, was present when Alice died. Alice was the daughter of Patrick Morrissey and his wife Mary Kehoe, of Aylwardstown. Alice’s brother Thomas (b. 3 July 1871) was Mary Aylward née Morrissey’s father. Alice was married first to a man named Kennedy and as a widow married John Harrison on 30 April 1911 in Waterford. At the time of her marriage Alice was a publican in Ballybricken and John was an engineer.
Recorded Work
Farmer= 10 (10 males; 0 females)
Farm Worker= 10 (10 males; 0 females)
Creamery Worker= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Post Office=1 (1 male; 0 females)
Factory Worker= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Clover Meats= 3 (2 males; 1 female)
Railway Employees=3 (1 male; 2 females)
Fisherman= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Blacksmith (retired)= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Electrician = 1 (1 male; 0 females)
ESB labourer=1 (1 male; 0 females)
Domestic= 3 (0 males; 3 females)
Shop Assistant= 1 (0 males; 1 female)
Trainer= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Lorry Driver= 1 (1 male; 0 females)
Secretary (garage)= 1 (0 males; 1 female)
Aylwardstown Residents
[1] CASHIN
Cashin, Mary Anne (22 March 1883) DEAD [no date recorded]
Cashin, Anastatia, daughter
Cashin, Alice, daughter, domestic
Cashin, Maryann “May” [1946-2021] granddaughter
[2] CONNOLLY
Connolly, Thomas (11 Nov. 1907) Fisherman
Connolly, Mary (18 Nov. 1898) wife
Connolly, Martin, son, electrician married [moved to New Ross]
[3] HALLIGAN
Halligan, John (6 June 1908) Farm Labourer
Halligan, Mary (14 May 1908) wife
Halligan, Michael, son, creamery worker
Halligan, Mary, daughter, Clover Meats married [moved to Waterford]
Halligan, John, son, at school
[4] HEFFERNAN
Heffernan, Andrew (23 June 1893) Farmer
Heffernan, Bridget (26 June 1896) wife
Heffernan, John, son, assisting father
Heffernan, Alice, daughter-in-law
[5] DELAHUNTY
Delahunty, Patrick (12 Nov. 1910) Farmer
Delahunty, Mary, wife
Delahunty, Richard, son
Delahunty, Eileen, daughter
Delahunty, Ellen (10 May 1888) mother
Delahunty, James (c. 1916) brother, assisting relative
Delahunty, Edward, brother, assisting relative
Delahunty, Nora, sister
[6] HANNON
Hannon, Peter (21 Aug. 1907) CIE Ganger Gone to England, January 1964
Hannon, Margaret (24 Dec. 1909) wife, haltkeeper
Hannon, Ceclia, daughter
[7] KELLY
Kelly, James G (1 Jan. 1916) Farmer
Kelly, Maura (3 May 1928) wife
Kelly, Nicholas J. (12 June 1954) son
Kelly, Thomas G. (17 Nov. 1955) son
Kelly, Catherine Grace, daughter
Kelly, JoAnn M., daughter
[8] CASS
Cass, Martin, Post Office Worker
Cass, Alice, wife, Haltkeeper CIE
[9] FITZGERALD
Fitzgerald, James (6 June 1897) Farmer
[10] FORAN
Foran, James (15 May 1905) Farmer [last of the Glenmore thatchers]
Foran, Anastasia, wife
Foran, John, son
Foran, Thomas, son
Foran, Patrick, son
Hynes, Mary (28 May 1917) sister-in-law
[11] HABERLIN
Haberlin, John (6 June 1885) Retired Blacksmith
Haberlin, Edmund, son, farm labourer
Power, Stephen, Trainer
[12] ROCHE/FITZGERALD
Roche, William (12 Nov. 1913) Farmer
Roche, Margaret, wife
Fitzgerald, Ellen, sister-in-law, Clover Meats
Fitzgerald, Mary (8 Jan. 1913) mother-in-law
[13] POWER
Power, John (6 Feb. 1906) Farmer
Power, Eily (1 April 1908) wife
Power, Kathleen, daughter
[14] KENNEDY
Kennedy, Richard (15 March 1885) Farmer (died 5 Jan. 1964)
Kennedy, Patrick, son, assisting father
Kennedy, Richard, son, lorry driver (moved to Carriganurra)
Kennedy, Ellen, daughter (gone to England)
[15]] IRISH/PHELAN
Irish, Catherine (26 Oct. 1901) Farmer
Irish, James (10 July 1902) Brother-in-law, assisting relative
Phelan, Mary, daughter
Phelan, James, son-in-law, farm worker
Phelan, (child) [Assumed to be Michael Phelan]
[16] FITZGERALD
Fitzgerald, Michael (23 March 1917) Farmer
Fitzgerald, Catherine, wife
Fitzgerald, Mary, daughter
Fitzgerald, Ann, daughter
Fitzgerald, Carmel, daughter
Fitzgerald, Richard, son
Fitzgerald, John, son
Moore, Joseph, farm labourer [Joe Moore was also listed in Ballinlammy. See our post of 23 Dec. 2020 regarding Joe Moore.
[17] AYLWARD
Aylward, Patrick (17 March 1912) Farmer
Aylward, Mary (5 July 1910) wife
Aylward, Mary, daughter, secretary garage
Aylward, Michael, son, assisting father
Aylward, Ellen, daughter
Aylward, Catherine, daughter, shop assistant
Aylward, Alice, daughter
Aylward, John, son
Aylward, Patrick, son
Aylward, Richard, son
Harrison, Alice (3 April 1882) aunt, retired
[18] DORAN
Doran, Peter (10 June 1910) Factory Worker
Doran, Margaret (10 April 1908) wife
Doran, Kathleen, daughter, domestic
Doran, Margaret, daughter, domestic
Doran, Ann, daughter
Doran, Peter, son
O’Connor, Philip, step-son, Clover Meats
[19] KEHOE/BOYLE
Kehoe, Stephen (2 April 1918) Farm Labourer
Kehoe, Mary (20 Oct. 1919) wife
Kehoe, John, son
Kehoe, Stephen Noel, son
Kehoe, Mary, daughter
Kehoe, Michael, son
Boyle, John, Brother-in-law, Labourer ESB (moved to Rathinure)
Boyle, Margaret, sister-in-law
Boyle, James, nephew
For further information concerning the Half-Way House see our post of 24 July 2022
For further information on the Aylwardstown, Glenmore railway station see our post of 16 Oct. 2021, and for information on the New Ross to Waterford railway line that ran through Glenmore see our post of 2 Feb. 2020.
Did you know that the first plane that landed in Glenmore landed in Aylwardstown? See our post of 10 Dec. 2020 that contains old newspapers clippings.
Special thanks to Jackie Walsh for the photo of the Aylwardstown lodge house where her grandfather was reared. Special thanks to John Kirwan for sharing his father’s Glenmore Hurling & Football Club, Souvenire Programme (14 May 1981). Special thanks to Brian Forristal for the photo of Tommy Connolly, of the River.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Glenmore Castles
On the 23rd of October 1964, Danny Dowling, interviewed and recorded several stories told by “Nicky the Miller” Forristal (1888-1979) of the Mill, Graguenakill, Glenmore. One of the stories of particular interest concerned the Carrigcloney Castle of Glenmore. The following short story is how it was recorded by Danny.
Buried Treasure at Carrigcloney Castle
“Tom Meany a farm labourer who lived in a cabin in Carrigcloney is reported to have got a large hoard of money from the above castle. It appears that a chap from the Co. Carlow who was working in Barry’s of Carrigcloney, dreamt on a number of occasions that there was a hoard of money in a certain spot at the castle. He used to ramble to Meany’s every evening night, and he told him the story of what he had dreamt.”
The two men decided to dig around the castle one night. They went to the spot in the dream and dug, and when they came to flag stone Meany pretended to see a ghost and partly fainted. Both fled and the story goes that as soon as the chap had gone home to bed Meany and his wife went back and got the money. Meany later left the district and took a brick marsh in Gracedieu where he commenced to manufacture bricks. Old Paddy the Weaver (Walsh) of Glenmore Village worked for him in the brickworks there. Meany later bought a public house in Waterford City.”
Although the story does not indicate when the treasure was discovered at the Carrigcloney Castle, a marriage record was located for Thomas Meany (c. 1801-1873) and Bridget Hynes of Carrigcloney. The couple were married on 10 February 1834 at Glenmore. A death record was also located indicating that Thomas Meany, brickmaker, of the Glen, Waterford died on the 4th of July 1873 at the age of 72. His wife Bridget Meany was present at his death.
Tom Meany was dead prior to Nicky the Miller’s birth. This story is similar to the pot of gold that was allegedly hidden in Cappa, Glenmore with a Carlow man dreaming about its location. See our 2020 post Glenmore Gold. Interestingly Barrys are still in Carrigcloney and Hoynes originally from Carrigcloney are still found in Glenmore. We were not able to find any information that linked Tom Meany to ownership of the brick yard or a pub in Waterford.
The Castle/Tower Houses of Glenmore
Generally, speaking the remnants of the building referred to as Carrigcloney Castle is more in keeping with a medieval tower house rather than a castle. A tower house was usually the fortified home of a wealthy landowner and these occupants considered their fortified residence a castle. A tower house was made of stone and usually was four or more stories in height. Originally tower houses were built by the Normans, but some Gaelic families also began to build them.
Tower Houses were built from about 1400 to 1650. One historian reckoned that there were around 2,900 castles across Ireland, and the majority of these were tower houses. “Tower houses came into existence by the early fifteenth century, when a 1429 statute allowed the counties of the Pale to grant £10 to landowners towards their construction” (Colm Donnelly (1996) “Frowning Ruins: The Tower Houses of Medieval Ireland,” 4 (1) History Ireland is available online. )
In attempting to locate information regarding the Carrigcloney Castle references to several other castles or tower houses around Glenmore were found. Most of the known castles or tower houses that were located in Glenmore were near the River Barrow. This was primarily due to the fact that the rivers were the earliest highways and inhabitants tended to settle along the rivers. Further up the River Barrow from Glenmore there is an early 19th century drawing of Castle Annaghs and it provides an example of a tower house that was still inhabited.
[1] The Carrigclooney (sic) Castle was destroyed around 1800. It and a hamlet bearing the same name are near the River Barrow, in the townland of Carrigclooney, in the old civil parish of Kilmakevoge. ( Historic Castles of Kilkenny available online.) Contrary to the information provided on the webpage, Carrigcloney Castle was not totally destroyed. One room of the castle/tower house remains standing today with an impressive vaulted ceiling.
Other Glenmore Castles/Tower Houses
The Historic Castle website list for Glenmore also includes:
[2] Aylwardstown House was built about 1609 in Aylwardstown townland. According to some of Danny’s notes it is believed that the house may be on the site of a previous tower house or have parts of a tower house incorporated into it.
[3] Rochestown Castle once stood in Rochestown townland, in the Civil Parish of Kilcolumb overlooking the River Barrow. It is described as being near the south road of the village.
[4] Forrestalstown Castle which belonged to the Forrestal family once stood in the old civil parish of Ballygurrim. The Forristal family lost their lands under Cromwell and were transplanted to Connaught. This castle was demolished also around 1800.
[5] Mullennahone “sic” Castle once stood in the townland of Mullinahone, in the old civil parish of Kilmakevoge. This castle was “levelled” around 1800. A field called the “Castle field” is described as being a few fields west of the chapel in Glenmore. This is the only known castle/tower house far removed from the River Barrow.
Impact of the 1798 Rebellion?
Nowhere was an explanation provided as to why so many of these castles/tower houses were demolished or destroyed in about 1800. We suspect that the 1798 Rebellion centred predominately in Wexford, on the east side of the River Barrow, may have caused or impacted on the decisions to demolish the Glenmore castles/tower houses. Sometimes taxes caused castles to become derelict. For example, it is said that Blarney Castle and Ross Castles had their roofs removed because of taxes. Carrigcloney Castle currently has a slate roof, but it is not known when it was installed.
To view historical monuments in the area see the National Monuments Service, the Historic Environment Viewer. The Viewer is a free digital service to facilitate access to the National Monument Sites and Monument Record databases available by clicking here. For further reading see, Tadhg O’Keefe, “Halls, ‘Hall-Houses’ and Tower-Houses in Medieval Ireland: Disentangling the Needlessly Entangled” (2013/2014) 27 The Castle Studies Group Journal p. 252 available online via academia.edu.
Special thanks to Neddy and Eileen Aylward for providing access and information on Carrigcloney Castle. The featured photo above is of Carrigcloney Castle taken in June 2021.
The photo on the left depicts a small stone face that is thought to have been found in Glenmore.
If anyone knows of any other castles or tower houses that were located in Glenmore parish, or has further information or corrections, please email glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh