Ballisnahyny Castle

Map Reference: M235518 (1235, 2518)



Ballisnahyny seems to have derived its name from Lisnaheighnighe, which is mentioned in the "Historia et Genealogia" of the De Burgos (1578). It was also mentioned in the Division of Connaught in 1574 as a De Burgo castle, and William Burke was the then occupant. The ancient "liss" surrounds it, and gives the castle its name.



The castle appears to be a square building with two intact storeys and a fragment of a third. It sits on top of a hill surrounded by a mound of rubble. The wall has a good base batter.



The interior of the building is gutted and there are no traces of a stairway. However all of the SW corner is missing. There are traces of a jamb in the surviving portion of the west wall which may indicate the position of the doorway. There are remains of a vault above the first floor.



The ground floor was lit by small slits set within deep V-shaped recesses.



The first floor has larger window openings but all the worked stone has been removed.