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Ballymalis Castle today

Ireland · Partial ruin

Ballymalis Castle

Caisleán Bhéal Átha Málais

Ballymalis Castle is a 16th-century Irish tower house and National Monument located in County Kerry, on the north bank of the River Laune. Built by the O'Muircheartaigh (O'Moriartys) and altered in the late 16th century, it is a four-storey rectangular tower with an attic, bartizans, decorative windows and defensive features.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1590

Today

Partial ruin

As it stood in 1590

What Ballymalis Castle looked like in its prime.

A squat rectangular four-storey tower with an attic and a tall central chimney stack rising above a crenellated parapet that is partly ruined; small projecting round bartizans at the southwest and northeast corners; straight, flat-faced curtain of grey masonry punctured by vertical slit windows and several mullioned-and-transomed windows; a machicolation above the entrance and surviving segments of the alure (wall-walk) along the parapet; set alone on low meadowland with distant hills as a backdrop.

Its story

The story of Ballymalis Castle.

Ballymalis is a tower house on the north bank of the River Laune in County Kerry, built by the O'Muircheartaigh, the O'Moriartys, in the sixteenth century. It later passed to the Ó Fearghuis, the Ferris family, who renovated it late in the 1500s.

In 1677 the manor was confiscated by the Crown and granted to Sir Francis Brewster, who granted it in turn to the Eagar family. The partially restored tower stands four storeys with an attic, bartizans at the south-west and north-east corners, a machicolation, decorated windows with mullions and transoms, and part of its wall-walk, a National Monument above the river.

Step inside

9 places to explore in 1590.

The record describes 9 distinct spots at Ballymalis Castle, including 2 interiors: upper chamber with mullioned and transomed window, first-floor fireplace and hearth. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Meadow approach with full tower viewNorth bank of the River LauneMain ground-floor entrance beneath machicolationSouthwest bartizan at the cornerNortheast bartizan and parapetParapet and surviving alure (wall-walk)Upper chamber with mullioned and transomed windowFirst-floor fireplace and hearthRoofline, attic and central chimney stack

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Whose castle

Clans who held Ballymalis Castle.

The families that held Ballymalis Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • O'Moriarty

    Built by the O'Muircheartaigh (O'Moriartys) in the 16th century.

  • Ferris

    Held by the Ó Fearghuis (Ferris) family, who renovated the tower in the late 16th century.

  • Eagar

    Granted to the Eagar family after the Crown confiscation of 1677.

Questions about Ballymalis Castle

What is the history of Ballymalis Castle?

Ballymalis Castle was built by the O'Muircheartaigh, or O'Moriarty, family in the sixteenth century. It later passed to the Ó Fearghuis, or Ferris, family, who renovated it in the late 1500s. In 1677 the manor was confiscated by the Crown and granted to Sir Francis Brewster, who subsequently granted it to the Eagar family.

What is inside Ballymalis Castle?

Inside Ballymalis Castle, the documented features include an upper chamber with a mullioned-and-transomed window and a first-floor fireplace and hearth. The tower also contains fireplaces, as well as the surviving structural spaces associated with its four storeys and attic.

Where is Ballymalis Castle?

Ballymalis Castle is in County Kerry, on the north bank of the River Laune. It lies 4.3 kilometres northwest of Beaufort, near the confluence of the River Laune and the River Gaddagh. The Ring of Kerry runs to the north.

When was Ballymalis Castle built?

Ballymalis Castle was built in the sixteenth century, with the first-raised year not recorded. The English description specifies the early 16th century, while the tower was renovated in the late 16th century after passing to the Ó Fearghuis family.

Which family or clan held Ballymalis Castle?

Ballymalis Castle was held by the O'Moriarty family, who built it, and later by the Ferris family, who renovated it in the late 16th century. After the Crown confiscation of 1677, it was granted to the Eagar family.

What did Ballymalis Castle look like in its prime?

Ballymalis Castle was a squat rectangular grey-masonry tower with four storeys, an attic and a tall central chimney stack. Its partly ruined crenellated parapet had surviving sections of wall-walk, while small round bartizans projected from the south-west and north-east corners. Slit windows, mullioned-and-transomed windows and a machicolation above the entrance completed its defensive appearance.

Is Ballymalis Castle still standing or is it a ruin?

Ballymalis Castle is still standing as a partially restored, partial-ruin tower. The rectangular building retains four storeys, an attic, bartizans at the south-west and north-east corners, decorated windows, a machicolation and surviving sections of its wall-walk. Its crenellated parapet is partly ruined.

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