Ballyloughan Castle – Carlow gatehouse ruin

Overview

The best thing at Ballyloughan is its gatehouse: a twin-towered Norman entrance that still stands close to full height in a farm field south-east of Bagenalstown. Alongside it are the ruins of the hall and the foundations of one corner tower – the rest of the curtain wall and towers are long gone. It’s a National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works, free to visit, and set in a working field. The gate off the road is usually locked, so you can view it clearly from the adjacent gate; to get inside, the practical move is to knock at the nearest house, as visitors have long done, and ask permission. Don’t count on it, and treat the field and the ruin with care if you’re let through.

History

The style points to a build date around 1300, in the Anglo-Norman tradition, though documentary records are thin. The wider territory had been granted by Diarmuid Mac Murchada to Richard de Clare – Strongbow – after the Norman arrival, and by 1307 it had passed to the Kavanaghs, the Gaelic family who dominated this part of Carlow. Whoever first raised the castle, the Kavanaghs held it into the 17th century: Bryan Mac Donagh Kavanagh was recorded at Ballyloughan in 1603, and the family remained until 1641.

After that it moved through several hands. The lands were granted to George Bagenall in 1611 and, following the Act of Settlement, to John Beauchamp, who built a mansion on the hill above the castle using stone robbed from the ruin itself – now a jagged ruin in its own right, and worth the short walk up. By the mid-18th century the estate had come to Beauchamp Bagenal, and in the 19th century it was bought by Colonel Henry Bruen.

A 1955 excavation found a moat about 3 m wide and 1 m deep, once filled from a local lake, along with 13th- and 14th-century potsherds – including a sherd of fine white-paste ware from western France – and a 14th-century silver finger ring. The north-east tower had been turned into a cottage or shed by the 18th century and then abandoned.

What to see

The gatehouse is the reason to come, and it’s a good one – one of the better-preserved examples of its type in the country. A machicolation projects over the entrance at second-floor level for dropping things on unwelcome visitors; in 1835 it was recorded that 14 stone steps led from the ground to the first floor, with two more surviving toward the second. In 1941 the antiquarian H.G. Leask noticed that some of the stones in the gatehouse were reused from a church, carrying 12th-century Hiberno-Romanesque moulding.

The courtyard is now a grassy field where you can trace the line of the former walls and the moat, and the hall foundations. A local legend clings to the place: after the castle’s owners betrayed a priest sheltering here from Royalist forces, and he was hanged, strange sounds were said to be heard along the passageways.

Because the site is unguided and parts of the stonework are unstable, keep your footing, don’t climb the ruin, and mind the uneven, sometimes overgrown ground.

Practical Tips

• Accessibility – Uneven ground, steep stairs and the lack of handrails mean the site is not wheelchair-friendly.
• Safety – The stonework is ancient; watch your step and respect the locked gate that protects the private farmland.
• Photography – Early morning or late afternoon light highlights the twin towers against the sky; the surrounding fields provide natural foreground interest.

Getting There & Parking

By car – From Bagenalstown, take the R724 and, at the fork, turn right, then take the next right; the castle stands in a field on your right. It’s about a 10-minute drive, and the last stretch is on a narrow rural road.

Parking – There is no car park. Pull in as close to the gate as you safely can and walk the short distance. The road is narrow, so keep well in and don’t block it.

Public transport – The nearest bus stop is in Bagenalstown; from there a short taxi ride or a 2 km walk brings you to the castle’s vicinity. Walking the full distance along the R724 is not recommended due to the lack of pedestrian pathways.

Nearby Attractions

Combine a visit to Ballyloughan Castle with other Carlow highlights:

• Ballymoon Castle – A striking, roofless 13th-century enclosure castle, the closest comparison and a short drive away.
• Carlow County Museum – A cultural stop in Carlow town.
• Duckett’s Grove – Gothic ruins and restored walled gardens.
• St Mullins – A historic village with an early monastic site and medieval church on the Barrow.

Practical Information

For visitors planning a trip, it helps to check local weather forecasts before heading out, as the exposed ridge can be windy and the narrow rural roads are best navigated in dry conditions. Arriving early in the day also means you’ll likely have the fields to yourself, making it easier to photograph the gatehouse without modern distractions.