Historical records from 1609 refer to this site as ‘Sendonagh’, also known as Shanonagh or Old-Sonday, where a castle had already fallen into ruin by the early 17th century. The location carries echoes of centuries past, when fortified structures dotted the Irish landscape as symbols of power and territorial control.

The castle’s documented history emerges clearly in a land grant from 1609, during the reign of King James I. Sir Robert Nugent of nearby Walshestown Castle received an extensive parcel that included the ruinous castle alongside 40 messuages (dwelling houses with their outbuildings), 40 gardens, and diverse agricultural lands. The grant detailed 140 acres of arable land, plus 40 acres each of pasture, moor, bog, meadow, and marsh; a substantial holding that would have supported a considerable population and agricultural enterprise in its heyday.

Today, whilst the medieval castle has vanished from the landscape, its memory persists through historical documentation and place names. The transformation from ‘Sendonagh’ to the modern ‘Shandona’ reflects the evolution of Irish toponymy over four centuries, whilst the site itself has transitioned from military stronghold to domestic dwelling. This pattern of medieval castles being replaced by later houses is common throughout Ireland, where practical considerations often led to the reuse of strategic locations and building materials from earlier structures.