Castle, Moyneard, Co. Tipperary North
Standing on a north-south ridge in the rolling countryside of County Tipperary North, Moyneard Castle is a formidable three-storey tower house that once reached even greater heights.
Castle, Moyneard, Co. Tipperary North
Built from coursed rubble stone with a distinctive batter that gives its walls their characteristic sloped appearance, this medieval fortification forms part of a larger defensive complex. Just to the north, you’ll find a ringfort, evidence of even earlier settlement in this strategic location overlooking the surrounding landscape.
The tower house itself represents just one element of what was once a more extensive fortified residence. Archaeological traces reveal the footings of a bawn wall extending to the west and north of the tower; these protective walls would have enclosed a courtyard area, providing security for livestock and daily activities. Within this defensive perimeter, the remains of a rectangular building measuring 13 metres north to south and 15.5 metres east to west suggest additional structures that served the castle’s inhabitants, possibly functioning as accommodation, storage, or service buildings.
Though time has reduced the tower’s original height, what remains offers a glimpse into the defensive architecture favoured by medieval Irish lords. The combination of tower house, bawn walls, and auxiliary buildings represents a typical arrangement for fortified residences of this period, when local magnates needed strongholds that could serve both as comfortable homes and defensive positions in uncertain times. The nearby ringfort adds another layer to the site’s history, showing how this commanding ridge has attracted settlers across different eras.





