The 1837 Ordnance Survey six-inch map marks this spot as a castle site, though today visitors will find no trace of the structure in what is now the eastern yard of a working farm. The castle’s complete disappearance from the landscape speaks to the fragility of Ireland’s built heritage, particularly those structures that fell out of use or favour over the centuries.

What little evidence remains of the castle comes from a photograph held in private hands, showing a portion of curved wall that may have been part of a tower. Interestingly, archaeologists who examined this image noted that the wall construction appeared rather insubstantial for what should have been a defensive structure, raising questions about the building’s original purpose or perhaps suggesting it had been modified or partially dismantled even before its final demolition. This observation hints that Fardurraghnagransbys may not have been a typical Irish tower house or fortified residence, or that what survived into the photographic era was already a shadow of its former self.

The site was documented in the Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow, published by the Stationery Office in 1993, with updates made as recently as 2007. While the castle itself has vanished, its peculiar name; a tongue-twisting combination that likely reflects ancient land divisions or family names; continues to intrigue local historians. The loss of Fardurraghnagransbys Castle serves as a reminder that many of Ireland’s medieval structures have disappeared without proper recording, leaving only tantalising fragments in old maps and chance photographs to hint at what once stood in these now-empty fields.