AMOGANMORE CASTLE

Traditional Irish Name

Áth Mongain Mór – ford of Mongan.

Associated Families

Sarcell.
Billingsley.
Hunt.

Location

Barony	Connello.
Civil Parish	Croagh.
Townland	Amogan More.
OS Map Ref	Sheet 29.

Description

Amoganmore was once the stronghold of the Sarcell family.

Interesting architectural features: this 15th-century tower house has a straight stair to the first floor, and from there, the stair is spiral (see Image Gallery).
The rooms, including the ground floor, are arched.

Condition

The castle is largely ivy-free. Part of one wall is damaged, but overall it is in relatively good condition.

Access

The castle is on private land. Permission is required. But it can be easily viewed from the public road.

Historical Timeline

1583:	Amoganmore Castle and lands owned by Maurice McEdmund Sarcell.
1584:	Sarcell attainted for his part in the Desmond rebellion.
1588:	Castles and lands granted to Henry Billingsley (alderman of London) as part of the Munster Plantation.
1606:	Estate held by Richard Hunt.
1611:	Part of Amoganmore Castle held by Emory Lee.
1623:	Held by George Hunt.
1655:	Castle and lands recorded as the late estate of Richard Hunt.
1657: (circa)	Cromwellian government granted estate to Oliver Lambert and Brook Bridges.
1668:	Estate confirmed to Oliver Lambert by Charles II.
1690:	Legend has it that after his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, James II ‘is reported to have slept one night at [Amoganmore Castle] … but it is not certain that he came farther south than Waterford.’¹

¹ S. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland , vol. i (1837), 434.

Notes

All historical information is compiled from archival material; primary sources (such as State Papers); secondary sources; plus authoritative digital sources (such as CELT). Any direct quote or a further reading suggestion is footnoted.

For queries, suggested amendments, or other relevant information, or if you would like to contribute an archival image of Amoganmore Castle (of which you own the copyright), please leave a comment at the bottom of the page, or email (below).