DERRYHIVENNY CASTLE

Derryhivenny Castle was built in 1643 and was the stronghold tower house for the O’Madden family.

The O’Madden family held the lands around Derryhivenny from around the year 950 to the middle of the 17th century. The head of the family, John O’Madden, died in 1639, leaving the lands to his son, Daniel O’Madden who quickly set about building himself this tower house.

The outbreak of war in 1641 more or less led to an end in the building of true castles making Derryhivenny one of the very last tower houses in the country. In fact, its late date of building can be seen in the absence of vaults on all four storeys of the tower and by its picturesque diagonally disposed Jacobean chimney-stacks.

Though the castle is now abandoned and derelict for centuries, the tower house is still in well preserved condition.