Thurlesbeg Castle and Bawn

Thurlesbeg castle and bawn are located in the valley of the Arglo River, 380m to the east of the Cashel- Boherlahan road, the R660. Gently rising ground is found to the south and west and likewise north of the river.

A rectangular shaped structure, with only the south and east walls standing to a height of two storeys, remains in a remote field overlooking marshy ground to its north. At the NE and NW corners of this structure, the low remains of two circular towers are visible. Between the towers and the standing walls, a large mound of rubble covered with grass, brambles and shrubs, occupy the interior of the house.

On the south facing wall, there is a double splayed window while a single splayed window is found on the east wall. A mural chamber exists on the first floor level of the south east corner of the structure with access from the east wall.

To the south west and west of the structure, the grass-covered wall footings of the bawn wall are evident. They are detectible at ground level but become more apparent from the first floor level of the stone structure.

The remains of a moat are found to the east and north of the castle and bawn, filled in to large extent with soil, vegetation and some bushes. The stream flowing through the moat formed part of the mill stream, which flowed westwards into a mill pond that provide the water to power a corn mill close to the R660. This stream may be contemporary with the castle and bawn but the corn mill was working during the 1840s.

In the Civil Survey of 1654-6, Redmond McGrath, son of Miler McGrath who was Archbishop of Cashel in the late 16th century, was listed as owner of the castle and bawn in 1640. The property was described as including a 'Castle & a Bawne with a Dozen Cabbins and a pleasant seat'. Later in the 17th century a Mr Fulwar, who was son of Archbishop Fulwar, occupied the premises

Today, Thurlesbeg castle and bawn are only a shadow of their former splendour. It is likely that they fell victim to the crowbar brigade in the aftermath of the Williamite wars of the late 17th century. According to local lore, the famine wall, as a nearby field boundary, was constructed from stone taken from this structure. The fine cut-stone in the wall supports this view.