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Home > Villages > Ballaghmore > History

History of Ballaghmore

Ballaghmore Castle
Ballaghmore Castle (1480) the Chief seat of the Mac Gillpatricks (Fitzpatricks) Lords of the Upper Ossory. Strategically placed on the Bealach Mor, the great road to Munster. Partially destroyed by Cromwellians in 1647 it came into possession of the Cootes who leased it to the Elys. Richard Ely, financed by a hoard of gold found on his land, partially restored it in the 1830s. Ely was shot by an angry tenant and never lived in the castle. The castle was then used as a granary and afterwards fell into disuse, until the present owner Gráinne Ní Cormac, bought it in 1990 and restored it. The castle is a five storey rectangular-shaped tower house constructed of rubble limestone with a slight base-batter. The entrance is at the NW, with a murder hole immediately inside, but the modern entrance is in the NE wall. There are mural staircases and passages in the NE, SW and SE walls. The living room was on the fourth floor with stairs leading unto the roof. At lower levels there were sleeping quarters and a dining area. The windows are mostly narrow slits. The remains of a curtain wall with mural tower can be seen at the south angle and the remains of a second at the west angle. Visitors are given a guided tour, with stories of the history of the MacGiollaphadraigs (changed to Fitzpatrick by order of Henry 8th of England) which goes back to 500 B.C.

Nearby is a very small church, said to be a converted schoolhouse. It is open to the public all year. It is beautifully kept, with tiny galleries, and a sexton's house at the back. North of the castle on Kyle Hill is the legendary Brehon's Chair.

Sheela-na-gig
This figure is situated in the side of a L-shaped quoin on the SW facing wall of the castle, slightly more than 10m above ground level. Measuring 47.5cm high by 36cm maximum width, it is carved in soft white sandstone of local origin The asymmetrical figure is carved in bold relief, standing out 7cm from the surface of the quoin. The head is pear-shaped with a pointed chin, slanted eyes and prominent ears. The legs are open with the knees bent to reveal the open vulva and the hands rest on the body, one on the right hip and the other on the left thigh. The figure appears from ground level to be well-preserved but on closer examination it can be seen that it is well weathered.