Tullomoy Castle, Tullomoy, Co. Laois
Standing in the gently undulating countryside of County Laois, Tullomoy Castle is a remarkable example of an early seventeenth-century fortified house.
Tullomoy Castle, Tullomoy, Co. Laois
Known locally as the ‘Castle of Tulla’, this imposing limestone structure was built by Billy George, whose descendants, the Georges of Mullaghmore, would become prominent in the area’s history. The building rises three storeys high, with an additional fourth storey at its eastern end, its walls constructed from roughly coursed local limestone measuring an impressive 1.45 metres thick.
The castle’s defensive origins are evident in its sturdy construction, yet it also displays surprising elegance in its architectural details. Large triple-light windows crafted from cut limestone and topped with decorative hood mouldings grace the first, second, and third floors, allowing light to flood the interior spaces. At ground level, the smaller rectangular windows, measuring 60 by 50 centimetres and featuring glazing bar holes, speak to both security concerns and domestic comfort. The presence of three fireplaces in both the western and southern walls suggests this was a residence built for year-round occupation, offering warmth and comfort to its inhabitants during Ireland’s damp winters.
Today, visitors can still observe remnants of the castle’s wider complex, including the remains of a wall running east to west beyond the main house and traces of a rectangular platform to the north, likely the foundation of an outbuilding or defensive structure. At nearly 20 metres in length, the castle remains an impressive monument to the ambitions and resources of the early modern Irish gentry, who sought to balance the needs of defence with the desire for comfortable, status-affirming architecture.





