BALLINGARRY CASTLE

Traditional Irish Name

Baile an Garraidh – town of the garden.

Associated Families

De Lacy/Lacy.
Odell.

Location

Barony	Connello Upper.
Civil Parish	Ballingarry.
Townland	Ballingarry.
OS Map Ref	Sheet 29.

Description

Later a stronghold of the Norman family of De Lacy, legend has it that the Knights Templars built Ballingarry Castle.¹

It is situated on Knights Street in the village of Ballingarry. This place was called ‘Le Garth’ in 1291, or ‘Garthbyboys’ in 1319. Ballingarry ‘had evidently belonged to the Byboys family’; they witnessed charters, suits and other disputes here during the 13th century.²

Interesting architectural features: this oblong tower was known as ‘Parsons Castle’ for a period after being repaired and modernised as a dwelling house for Reverend Gibbons in 1821.³

Condition

The castle, which was ‘in a state of perfect preservation’ in the mid-19th century,⁴ is still in good condition externally. The entrance (in the north-east wall) is currently blocked up.

Access

The castle is easily accessible from Knights Street in the town, but it lies on private land.

Historical Timeline

1408-22:	Town of Ballingarry walled under a grant by Henry IV, after it was destroyed by Irish and English rebels.
1513:	Ballingarry burned by Piers Butler.
1569:	Castle held for the Desmond cause, but taken and garrison put to the sword.
1570:	Castle and lands owned by John Lacy.
1580:	Castle warded by English forces.
1584:	Lacy pardoned after Desmond rebellion.
1587:	Knights Street in Balingarry town granted to Henry Billingsley.
1598:	Irish forces gather at Ballingarry to support the cause of James FitzGerald, known as the Súgan earl, pretender to the seat of his uncle, Gerald, late earl of Desmond.
1600:	John Lacy and his wife, Joan, pardoned by Elizabeth I.
1612:	Castle, lands and manor of Ballingarry regranted by James I to William Lacy.
1632:	Knights Street leased to David Lacy.
1640:	The castle, lands and manor of Ballingarry owned by William Lacy.
1653:	Garrisoned by Cromwellian forces.
1655:	Recorded as the late estate of William Lacy.
1667:	Ballingarry granted to John Odell.
1691:	Ballingarry burned by Irish Jacobite forces during the Williamite War.

¹ P. Fitzgerald & J.J. McGregor, History of Limerick, i (1826), 381.
² Westropp, ‘Ancient Castles … Limerick’, 335.
³ For castle description and features, see Ordnance Survey Letters, Ballingarry parish, 64-66.
⁴ Ibid., 64.

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.

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