Though nothing remains visible at ground level today, this spot has been home to defensive structures and grand houses for over 400 years. The site began as a probable pre-plantation castle, which was later refortified during the 16th century when such defensive measures were still necessary in rural Ireland. Just to the east, you’ll find Ballyburly church and its accompanying graveyard, silent witnesses to the generations who lived and worked on this hillside.

The castle eventually gave way to progress, replaced by an impressive late 17th or early 18th century house. This grand residence was likely built by John Wakely, who served as MP for Kilbeggan in 1692 and died around 1713, or possibly by his son Thomas. The house was quite the architectural statement for its time, featuring an ambitious eleven bay front with a five bay centre topped by a remarkably high pediment. The doorcase showcased classical influences with its entablature and pilasters, whilst the whole structure sat beneath a high-pitched roof supported by a bracket cornice; all hallmarks of the Georgian style that was transforming Ireland’s architectural landscape.

Tragedy struck in 1888 when fire consumed the house, but the story didn’t end there. The ruins were rebuilt to designs by James Franklin Fuller, giving the site yet another chapter in its long history. Today, whilst the physical structures have vanished, the location remains an intriguing piece of Offaly’s heritage, where layers of Irish history, from medieval fortifications to Georgian grandeur, once stood on this quiet hillside.