Cullahill Castle was the principal stronghold of the MacGillapatricks of

Upper Ossory Upper Ossory () was an administrative barony in the south and west of Queen's County (now County Laois) in Ireland. In late Gaelic Ireland it was the túath of the Mac Giolla Phádraig ( Fitzpatrick) family and a surviving remnant of the once l ...

built around 1425 and destroyed around 1650. Cullahill Castle takes its name from an ancient forest that covered Cullahill Mountain and extended down to Cullahill village.

Location

In the village of Cullahill in County

Laois County Laois ( ; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medieval kingdom. Hist ...

, Ireland. Approximately 100 metres out on the road up the nearby hill that gives the area its name.

History

Built around 1425, probably by Finghin MacGillapatrick Reportedly came under attack on several occasions by the "sovereign and citizens of Kilkenny" under reward from King Henry VI. Such attacks were reported in 1441 and 1517. It was attacked and partially destroyed by

Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially a ...

's forces around 1650. It was probably attacked by cannon from a nearby hill. It was recorded as "ruinous and uninhabitated" in 1657.

Structure

It is a tower-house rising to five storeys. Most of the northern portion, including the doorway, is missing. It is vaulted above the ground floor and has mural passages and chambers. A straight mural stairway rises to the upper levels. There are remains of mullioned windows at the higher floors of the castle. The castle has a

Sheela na Gig A sheela na gig is a figurative carving of a naked woman displaying an exaggerated Human vulva, vulva. These carvings, from the Middle Ages, are Grotesque (architecture), architectural grotesques found throughout most of Europe on Architecture ...

mounted on the outer wall behind the chimney. Across the road lies the ruins of its chapel which was the private chapel of the Catholic lords of Upper Ossory.

References

External links

* http://irelandinruins.blogspot.com/2012/04/cullahill-castle-co-laois.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20120312152801/http://www.irelandundiscovered.com/attractions/cullohill-castle/
Fitzpatrick Clan Society
{{coord, 52.8162, -7.4729, type:landmark_region:IE, display=title Castles in County Laois Archaeological sites in County Laois FitzPatrick dynasty