Castle Lyons

Castle Lyons, County Cork
Photo © Mike Searle, 21 June 2009

One of the chief seats of the Barry family in the 13c, the southern part of this fortified house or stronghouse may well date from that period. It lies in a field off the main road behind a small industrial site, now quite ruinous and covered with encroaching foliage. With most of its walls over 4 feet thick, it was quite capable of being defended almost as well as any castle, when during the turmoil of the 1640s the mansion became an important English stronghold against the rebel Irish. After its commander Sir Charles Vavasour's defeat at Manning Ford, Castle Lyons was captured by Lord Castlehaven. Although not lived in by the Barrymores at the time, It remained habitable until 1771, when it was accidentally destroyed by fire caused by careless workmen.

--CASTLE-LYONS, a market-town and parish, partly in the barony of CONDONS and CLONGIBBONS, but chiefly in the barony of BARRYMORE, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 2 miles (E. by N.) from Rathcormac; containing 5647 inhabitants, of which number, 689 are in the town. It was originally called Castle Lehane, or Castle O'Lehan, from the castle belonging to the sept of Lehan being situated here; and it is stated that three cantreds here, which were unjustly detained from Robert Fitz-Stephen by his son Ralph, were subsequently granted by King John to William de Barry, who erected a castle here in 1204, and his descendants for some ages were called the Lords Barry of Castle Lehane. In 1307, John de Barry founded an abbey here, which at the dissolution was granted to Richard, first Earl of Cork, who assigned it to his daughter, wife to David, first Earl of Barrymore, "to buy her gloves and pins." Another of the De Barrys founded a monastery here for Carmelites or White friars. In 1645, Lord Broghill, being posted here with the royal cavalry to cover the army under Lord Inchiquin, that was besieging Castlemartyr, drew the Irish cavalry under General Purcel into an action, commonly called the battle of Castlelyons, in which he gained a decisive victory. The castle, nevertheless, fell into Lord Castlehaven's hands soon afterwards.-- A topographical dictionary of Ireland by Samual Lewis 1837