Nenagh Castle: The Great Round Butler Keep of North Tipperary
A cylindrical keep more than thirty metres tall, the surviving heart of a Butler castle built around the year 1200.
Nenagh Castle is a Norman fortress in the north Tipperary town of Nenagh, and its great circular keep, over thirty metres high with a base diameter of sixteen metres, is the part that survives. It was begun around 1200 by Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler, and finished by his son. The castle and its grounds were extensively renovated between 2009 and 2013 to make it a visitor attraction.
A Butler keep
According to Wikipedia, Theobald Walter began the keep and his son Theobald le Botiller completed it. Its dating differs between accounts, with the article giving about 1200 to 1220 and one place in its text suggesting about 1216, so “the early thirteenth century” is the honest summary.
Nenagh was the Butlers’ main castle until they moved to Gowran in County Kilkenny in the fourteenth century. They later bought Kilkenny Castle, which remained their principal seat for about five hundred years. The Butlers also held Cahir Castle from 1375, so the family can be followed across the county.
The keep today
The keep is the symbol of Nenagh: its outline appears on logos of local clubs and businesses. Travel Extra describes the interior as four storeys reached by a spiral stair of 101 steps to a roof with wide views. The climb is steep and the passage low, and the same source notes that it is not suitable for visitors with mobility difficulties.
A turbulent record
Travel Extra’s feature lists a run of episodes in the castle’s later life: a prisoner uprising that burned parts of the fortress in 1332, a peace treaty between James Butler and the O’Kennedys in 1336, a burning by the O’Carrolls in 1550, capture by Owen Roe O’Neill in 1641, and surrender to Henry Ireton in 1651 during the Cromwellian campaign. These come from a single tourism source, so treat the exact dates as a guide and not a final word.
The 2009 to 2013 renovation
Wikipedia records that the castle and grounds were extensively renovated between 2009 and 2013 with the aim of making it a key tourist attraction. Local reports describe seasonal opening and guided tours, with the nearby Nenagh Heritage Centre as the point of contact for bookings.
Visiting
Hours are seasonal and local sources disagree on the details, so confirm before travelling with the Nenagh Heritage Centre (067 33850, given by local reports as the booking contact) or through Heritage Ireland. Expect to stoop in places, and wear shoes with a good grip.
From Ardfinnan
Nenagh is roughly 85 km, about an hour and a quarter by road, from Ardfinnan, which makes it a day out in its own right rather than an add-on to Cahir. Ardfinnan, a Norman castle on the Suir worth seeing from the village bridge, shares its Norman origins, though it is a private home. For nearer castles, start with Cahir Castle (about 10 km) and the Rock of Cashel (about 26 km), and see the overview of the castles of Tipperary.
Frequently asked questions
Who built Nenagh Castle and when?
Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler, began the keep around 1200, and his son Theobald le Botiller completed it, with Wikipedia giving dates of about 1200 to 1220.
How tall is Nenagh Castle's keep?
The circular keep is over thirty metres high, with a base diameter of sixteen metres.
How far is Nenagh Castle from Ardfinnan?
About 85 km, roughly an hour and a quarter by road.
