On Thursday 4 June 1992, the late Professor Tom Fanning, Department of Archaeology, National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, then University College Galway (UCG), visited "O’Gara’s castle" situated in Moygara townland, parish of Kilfree, Co. Sligo. The structure is now named Moygara Castle. Moygara is the Anglicisation of Mágh Ua Ghadhra or the plain of O’Gara, the townland in which the O’Garas built their principal castle. The visit to the site was as a result of an invitation to Professor Fanning from Maura O’Riordan (nee O’Gara) who had been researching O’Gara history for some years. Dr. Fanning, in the company of Maura O’Riordan (with notebook), spent some hours inspecting the site after which they called to the home of Mr. Frank O’Neill, the owner of the site. During a lengthy discussion with Mr. O’Neill, Dr. Fanning explained the importance of having a non-invasive preliminary survey carried out on the site. He gave details of the undertakings of the Archaeological Services Unit, University College Galway. Mr. O’Neill agreed to the proposition and Maura O’Riordan agreed to sponsor the project.

Some weeks later Marcus Casey, archaeologist commenced the on site work under the directorship of Kathy de hOra, B.A. M.I.A.P.A. His brief was:

1. To compile an architectural description of the monument. .

2. To make an instrument survey of the monument and to prepare a finished ink drawing of same.

The very detailed report together with the drawing, dated August 1992 was forwarded to Maura O’Riordan. Some months later photographs were added to the written account.

Though the surrounding curtain walls are described as being nearly square, mathematical measurements have revealed that none of the walls are of equal length. Therefore the enclosure could be described more accurately as a large quadrilateral enclosure.

DATING THE STRUCTURE AT MOYGARA

A 16^th century date was agreed among all including Professor Tom Fanning for the principal section of the upstanding remains at Moygara with one or two sections excepted (see in drawing details). This opinion is supported as being the probable century in the Appendix of 'Irish Castles and Castellated Houses' which was published in 1964. The author was Harold G. Leask,  M. Arch., M.R.I.A. HON. F.S.A., Litt.D., Late President of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland and late Inspector of National Monuments in the Republic of Ireland. From various lists of sites Leask noted that there had been almost three thousand castles recorded in Ireland, he discussed a small number of castles in the main body of text. However in the Appendix he augmented the text by listing a further one hundred or so buildings. Under Co. Sligo we find O'Gara's castle at Moygara. He states 'Moygara, a large, square bawn with a tower. Date doubtful but probably XVI th century.'

The following is an archaeological report prepared by the writer on behalf of the Archaeological Services Unit, University College, Galway at the request of Mrs. Maura O'Riordan, Cherry Park, Newcastle, Galway.

The writer would like to gratefully acknowledge the co-operation and assistance of the landowner Mr. Frank O'Neill, Moygara, for permission to undertake the archaeological work.

2.1 To compile an architectural description of the monument.

2.2 To undertake an instrument survey of the monument and to prepare a finished ink drawing of same.

Townland: Moygara. OS 6 Inch Sheet No: Sligo No. 44

Barony: Coolavin Plan and Trace: 044:12:4

Parish: Kilfree Nat. Grid Ref: 16891/30258

County: Sligo O.D: 300' contour

SMR No: SL 044 - 05201 SMR Class: Castle

OS Site Name: Moygara Castle (in ruins)

The castle stands on a slight eminence in an area of hilly pastureland of varying quality. The land immediately surrounding it is fertile with poorer scrub and rock outcrop visible one mile away to the south. The site is overlooked by higher ground on this side. To the west is rolling poor quality pasture gradually giving way to conifer plantation. The view out to the west and north is panoramic, with the Ox mountains, Knocknarea, Ben Bulben and Carrowmore all clearly visible on a fine day. To the north lie esker ridges, now being quarried while to the north-east and east Lough Gara and some older woodlands can be seen. The land is divided by drystone walls, some nearby ones undoubtedly having been quarried from the monument, and the local bedrock is sandstone. Outcropping rock lies in the fields around the castle and some of the foundations of the structure were built directly onto exposed rock.

The building consists of a plain rectangular tower set within a nearly square bawn with flanking angled towers at each corner. These commanded the adjacent curtain walls and the area immediately around the site as well as the (now destroyed) timber parapets along the curtains and the interior garth. At a later time an entrance porch was added to the original arched owening along the west wall where two decorated key stones from the arch lie within a mound of loose rubble; later again a break was inserted into the centre of the east wall.

Inside lie the remains of what may have been a rectangular structure built in the south-west corner of the garth. All the gunloops are intact and the rectangular windows in the upper floors of the towers are also in good condition although no cut-stone architectural fragments can be seen anywhere. The loops in the curtains are angled to defend the flanks of the adjoining bastions and those in the towers defend the faces of the opposite bastion and the front of the adjacent curtain. Although the wide embrasures are clearly visible from the inside the opes of the loops are concealed within the masonry on the outer wall faces. There is no trace of an outer ditch or moat.

The site was built on sloping ground and although the tops of the curtain walls are fairly level, the bases followed the natural topography and this accounts for its varying overall height. The walls and bastions stand to nearly their original height and most of the structure is free of ivy. The interior likewise is free of excess overgrowth and used presently for sheep grazing.

©1992 Maura O'Gara-O'Riordan

Not to be be reproduced or published without consent of Mrs. O'Riordan

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