Lough Gurr Castle

Artist(s): Thomas Dineley (Draughtsman)

View of Bourchier’s Castle by Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. A gated causeway and a bridge connect the island, or peninsula, to the mainland. The castle consists of a tower house with adjacent buildings, backed by a prominent hill. Further buildings are visible in the hilly landscape surrounding the lake. There are ducks and swans on the water, and a man with a long-barrelled gun is kneeling in the foreground, on the right, aiming at some waterfowl. Several features of the view are identified by letters and an accompanying key.

Inscribed in Image

  • Caption within boundaries of image – Lough Gurr Castle
  • Text within boundaries of image – Lough / Lough / From this Hill the Prospect was took
  • Text outside of boundaries of image – <br>A The Castle. S The Ruines of Black Castle <br>T The Gate house V The Long bridge <sup>th</sup> Draw bridges <br>R The New Church. D Carrickmore Hill. <br>C Racannon. a Drummon Q Stableing <br>E Barnes. P The Pigeon house <br>F Knock Fennel.

Image Details

Genre Landscape
Technique Pen and ink drawings
Subject(s) Antiquities and archaeological sites, Forts and fortifications, Nature, Rural life
Geographical Location
  • Limerick – County
  • Lough Gur Castle – Castle
  • Munster – Province
Keyword(s) Archaeological sites, Birds, Bridges, Buildings, Cabins, Castles, Churches, Firearms, Gates, Hats, Houses, Hunting, Islands, Lakes & ponds, Men, People, Ruins, Towers, Trees
Colour Monochrome
Dimensions 12. 7 cm x 8.8 cm
Published / created 1681

Bibliographical Details

Travel Account Observations in a Voyage through the Kingdom of Ireland
Contributor(s)
Print or manuscript Manuscript
Location of image in copy p. 205
Source copy National Library of Ireland MS 392
Permalink https://ttce.universityofgalway.ie/irelandillustrated/view/image/ii_image_1375093291
Rights Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Related text from travel account

Lough-Gurr a fair Castle in the Tenure of John Baily Esq<sup>r</sup>. It belonged to the Countesse Dowager of Bathe, who built the sayd new Church for the use of the protestants, and bestow’d a Rich Pulpitt Cloth [marginal note: ‘Silver chalice Plate, Bible & Service book.’] It now belongs to S<sup>r</sup> Henry Vane or Fane part of his Estate. <br>The sayd Countess was Dowager of Henry Bourchier Earle of Bathe. <br>This Castle during the time of the Irish Rebellion was alwayes a Garrison for one [p. 186] side or other, beside being in an Island of above a mile in Circumference encompassed with a large and Deep Lough or Poole It was a receptacle not onely for man but beast to Defend from the enemy. <br>Lough Gurr is seven miles from Limerick. <br>The Lough or large mote which encompasseth this Island and Castle aboundeth in Fishes Pike Eeles, but Roches in vast quantity, M<sup>r</sup> Henry Bayly son to the sd J<sup>n</sup> Bayly told me of a prodigious Pike there lately taken of 4 foot & half in length, with one in its belly of above two foot long. <br>In the Castle are seen these Armes [image of coat of arms, with description and information re the Bourchiers] [pp. 205-206]
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