Lickadoon (Lickadoen) Castle

Parish :  Cahirnarry      Townland :  Lickadoon

Barony :   Clanwilliam   OS Sheet 65 ref 602 507

The ruins of this castle are situated about 8 Kilometres Southeast of Limerick In 1840 this was described as a very strong castle situated on a level section Of land. This was a castle of two towers. At the eastern end it had a square Tower which incorporated a spiral stairway to the top. The measurements of This section was 5 metres by 2.25 metres the inside. The main part of the castle On the western side measured over 7 metres by 5,3 metres on the inside. This part Of the castle had five floors. Only the first and second remained in 1840, the upper Floor having been destroyed. The walls had been over 22 metres high and almost 3.5 Metres thick. Only a small part of tower ruins and a piece of wall remain today. The castle originally belonged to the Hurley family and was later occupied by the Roches. It is said that the great archbishop of Cashel Dermot O’Hurley c 1530-1584 was born here. He was arrested after his arrival from Rome and charged with treason When he denied the charges, he was tortured by roasting his legs in metal boots filled with boiing oil. He was then condemned to death and hanged in Dublin in 1587