Rathgormuck Castle, Rathgormuck, Co. Waterford
Rathgormuck Castle stands on a gentle north-facing slope in County Waterford, its weathered stone walls telling a story that stretches back to at least 1640.
Rathgormuck Castle, Rathgormuck, Co. Waterford
Historical records from that year describe it as having a bawn, a fortified courtyard typical of Irish tower houses, and place it within the townland of Monadiha. The castle’s ownership shifted dramatically during the Cromwellian conquest when Nicholas Power forfeited the property in 1655, with Robert Davies subsequently taking possession.
The rectangular tower measures approximately 8.35 metres north to south and 7.5 metres east to west, though time has reduced it to just two floors standing about 8 metres high. Its construction showcases typical defensive architecture of the period, with cut-stone quoins reinforcing the corners and a protective base-batter on most walls. A smaller projecting tower extends from the western wall’s southern end, measuring 3.1 metres by 2.25 metres. The ground floor features a vaulted loft supported by corbels in the eastern and western walls, whilst a large segmental arch opens through the southern wall. The first floor retains windows that were likely modified during the 19th century, along with a fireplace positioned at the northern end of the eastern wall, its chimney still visible above.
The antiquarian John O’Donovan, visiting around 1840, noted intriguing decorative face-corbels on the northern wall’s exterior; one remains visible whilst ivy now obscures its companion. O’Donovan also documented a second castle approximately 50 metres to the east, though this structure has since vanished. Just 100 metres south lies Rathgormuck church, creating a small cluster of medieval structures that once formed the heart of this rural community. Together, these buildings offer a glimpse into the complex layers of Irish history, from medieval fortification through Cromwellian upheaval to Victorian modification.





