Though nothing of the original structure remains visible today, this unassuming pile of stones represents a fascinating glimpse into 17th century Irish history. The castle appears on the Down Survey map of Rathconrath parish, drawn between 1655 and 1659, where it’s depicted as a tower house; a common type of fortified residence built throughout Ireland from the 14th to 17th centuries.

The castle’s last known owner was Richard Dalton, who held these lands in 1641. Historical records identify him as an ‘Irish Papist’, a term used for Catholic landowners during this turbulent period of Irish history. This was just before the Confederate Wars and Cromwellian conquest would dramatically reshape land ownership across Ireland, with many Catholic proprietors losing their estates. The Down Survey itself was commissioned by Cromwell’s administration to map and redistribute confiscated lands, making it one of the most comprehensive land surveys of its time.

Today, visitors to Farthingstown will find only this modest memorial where the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map marks the castle site. The modern cairn, likely built by locals to preserve the memory of what stood here, serves as a subtle reminder of the area’s medieval past. While grander ruins draw crowds elsewhere in Ireland, this simple marker in Farthingstown tells its own story of lost heritage, religious upheaval, and the sweeping changes that transformed the Irish landscape during the 17th century.