County: Tipperary Site name: CAHIR
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Mr. J.F. Reynolds, National Parks and Monuments Branch, Office of Public Works
Site type: Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 604949m, N 624650m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.373388, -7.927320
Excavations were carried out in the Barbican or Entrance Court, and in the Inner Courtyard to the south and to the east of the Great Hall.
An area 24m long by 3m wide was excavated along the eastern side of the Barbican court adjoining the wall by the River Suir. The purpose of the excavation here was to ascertain if any traces remained of the original entrance to the Castle, which is shown in the 17th century sketch in ‘Pacata Hibernia’. The area excavated was covered with a hard packed gravel layer, which was 25-30cm thick. Under this was a filling of loose rubble about 1m thick. Under the rubble was an area of rough paving and cobbling. The paving was not continuous and was almost completely absent in the area immediately adjoining the wall. No definite trace was found of an entrance to the castle in this area. There were no archaeological finds.
A rectangular area, commonly known as the kitchen, south of the Hall and adjoining the keep was excavated. Prior to investigation the ground here was partly paved with rough cobbles. Beneath this cobbled floor was a uniform fill of mortar rubble, broken red bricks and broken red unglazed floor tiles. This fill lay directly on the bed rock.
Two trenches 17m long and 1m wide were opened across the inner courtyard at right angles to the Hall. Investigation in this area revealed a cobbled floor adjoining the Hall and extending about 5m out from it. This paving lay over bed rock. From this paved area the bed rock sloped downwards and was covered with a clay fill mixed with mortar rubbles and stones.
