Ballysheeda Castle

Map Reference: R926468 (1926, 1468)



This is also known as Ballysheedy Castle. It was originally owned by the O'Dwyer clan who controlled the area of Kilmanagh in Co. Tipperary.



Doorway leading to the stairs

Ballysheeda Castle is a round tower-house. It stands five stories high. There is possibly a murder-hole over the doorway but this is not clear. The ground floor and first floor rooms are rectangular, the upper room having a vaulted ceiling. A broad mural staircase rises to the left of the entrance. This rises to first floor level before turning into a spiral staircase. This then rises to the second floor but is missing beyond that. A latrine chute exists in a passage off the staircase. The first floor has collapsed but a side chamber still exists off the spiral staircase. The second floor consists of several openings and arrow slits but little else remains. All floors have collapsed beyond this. There is a fireplace and chimney stack at the top room. There are good defensive slits. The roof is gabled and there are larger windows at the higher levels. There are four machicolations at roof level and the remains of a roof walk.



View looking down through the hole in the second floor



Second floor



Looking up the remains of the spiral stairway



The passages off the stairs



One of the small window lights with a slopstone