Known locally as Shaughlin’s Castle, though its ancient name was Foxe’s Castle, the site now shows no visible trace of the structure that once commanded this spot. According to an archaeological survey from 2002, all that remained at the time were three white thorn bushes and some briars marking where the castle once stood, a rather poetic end for what was likely once a formidable defensive structure.

The mystery of this lost castle deepens with the discovery of what was described as a vault, found during ditch-digging operations approximately 90 metres west of the supposed castle site. This underground chamber, measuring roughly 1.8 metres in width, was believed to have been connected to the castle complex. However, the considerable distance between the two features has puzzled historians and archaeologists alike; such separation would be unusual for a castle and its vault, leading some to question whether the Ordnance Survey maps might have incorrectly plotted the castle’s original location.

Today, visitors to this area of level pasture will find little evidence of either structure, though the site remains an intriguing piece of Kildare’s medieval puzzle. The discrepancy between historical records and physical evidence serves as a reminder of how much of Ireland’s built heritage has been lost to time, leaving us to piece together the past from fragmentary accounts and chance discoveries beneath the soil.