Ballycowan Castle is a castle located 4 km west of Tullamore, County Offaly. It was built in 1589 as a fortified house by Thomas Morres.

Ballycowan Castle
Ballycowan Castle
Map
General information
TypeCastle / Fortified House
LocationBallycowan, County Offaly, Ireland
Coordinates53°16′35″N 7°33′31″W / 53.276419°N 7.558745°W / 53.276419; -7.558745
Completed1589

The castle was built on the previous site of the O’Molloy castle or tower house called Baile-mhic-Abhainn which was destroyed by a fire in 1557.[1]

The adjacent tower was built by Sir Jasper Herbert and his wife Lady Jane Finglas in 1626 on land given to them during plantations.[citation needed]

During the Cromwellian period the southern end of the castle was blown up from a hill 100 yards away. The lands on which the castle stood were confiscated and handed over to the Earl of Mountrath in 1666.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Ballycowan Castle, Co. Offaly".
  2. ^ Ballycowan Castle (PDF) (Report).