The exact location remains a mystery, as no traces can be spotted at ground level today; archaeologists place it somewhere along a break in a fairly steep north-facing slope, or possibly on the gently undulating ground at the base of this incline. Despite its complete disappearance from view, this lost fortification holds an intriguing place in the historical record.

The best evidence for this phantom castle comes from the Civil Survey of 1654;6, a comprehensive land survey conducted during the Cromwellian period. The survey describes this area adjacent to Roscrea as containing ‘one castle [and] two turretts’, painting a picture of what must have been a substantial defensive structure with accompanying tower features. This documentary evidence, compiled by R.C. Simington in 1931, provides the primary historical confirmation that a significant fortification once stood here, even though time and circumstance have completely erased its physical presence.

The site represents one of those tantalising archaeological puzzles where historical documents tell us something significant existed, yet the landscape itself keeps its secrets well hidden. Whether the castle was deliberately demolished, fell into ruin and was quarried for building materials, or simply succumbed to centuries of weathering and agricultural activity, its complete absence from the modern landscape makes it all the more fascinating for those interested in Ireland’s lost medieval heritage.