Kilcash Castle

Kilcash Castle lies in the townland of the same name, in County Tipperary, in Ireland.

Kilcash Castle was built in the mid-16th century and originally consisted of only the tower. It was probably built by the Butlers, who were the Earls of Ormond. There was also a house attested at Kilcash in the 17th century, but this was probably rebuilt in the 18th century. It are the remains of that house that we see today, nowadays attached to the tower.

In 1797, its then owner, Walter Butler, Marquess of Ormond, was in severe financial problems. By then, the Butlers had already moved from Kilcash to their castle at Kilkenny. So, the next 4 years he then had the castle stripped of all its valuable building materials to be sold. As a result, the castle was a ruin by the mid-19th century.

During the Irish Civil War in the 1920s, the ruin of Kilcash Castle was occupied by Anti-Treaty forces in an attempt to slow the approach of Pro-Treaty forces towards Clonmel. They were finally dislodged by artillery fire, further damaging the already dilapidated structure.

The castle became a State property in 1997. It was consolidated in the 2010s, when also a structural frame was inserted into the tower to prevent it from collapsing.

When I visited, the grounds of Kilcash Castle were fenced off, so it can only be admired from outside the castle grounds. A very nice castle.

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