Castleblunden

12 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Castleblunden, from 32 m² to 327,729 m² (32.77 ha, 80.98 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 12 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Castleblunden in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 9 Jul 2025Conditional

  for development. The development will consist of planning permission for a period of 10 years to construct and complete a solar PV energy development, battery storage and grid route with a total site area of 25.1 hectares, comprising of the construction of PV panels mounted on metal frames, MV Power Stations, substation, batteries, MV stations, new access tracks, underground cabling and ducting, perimeter fencing with CCTV cameras and access gates, a temporary construction compound, 10kV underground cabling connecting the solar farm to the existing Rosehill 38kV substation, and all ancillary grid infrastructure and associated works. The proposed development consists of works within the curtilage of Protected Structures Ref. C1000, C1002 and C330. The development would be operational for 40 years. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared in respect of this application

  Permission · Kilkenny County Council, 2560416

• 16 Apr 2025N/a

  for development at this site. The development will consist of planning permission for a period of 10 years to construct and complete a solar PV energy development, battery storage and grid route with a total site area of 25.1 hectares, comprising of the construction of PV panels mounted on metal frames, MV Power Stations, substation, batteries, MV stations, new access tracks, underground cabling and ducting, perimeter fencing with CCTV cameras and access gates, a temporary construction compound, 10kV underground cabling connecting the solar farm to the existing Rosehill 38kV substation, and all ancillary grid infrastructure and associated works. The development would be operational for 40 years. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared in respect of this application

  Permission · Kilkenny County Council, 2560202

• 9 Jul 2020N/a

  for construction of a forestry/agricultural access road and bellmouth entrance adjoining the public road and all other ancillary works

  Permission · Kilkenny County Council, 20440

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Castleblunden.

Recorded monuments

• KK019-031 Enclosure
  Description

  In deciduous woodland with Castle Blunden demesne, the 17th-century house (KK019-032001-) of the demesne lies c. 350m to the SE. A roughly circular enclosure (diam. c. 40m N-S; c. 43m E-W) enclosed by a wide fosse (Wth c. 5m) as indicated on the 1945-6 revision OS 6-inch map. The interior and perimeter of the enclosure are planted with trees. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 5 October 2020

• KK019-032001 Castle - unclassified
  Description

  Bence-Jones (1988, 62) mentions an earlier house or castle which occupied the moat behind the present Castle Blunden which was built in the 18th century. The Down survey (1655-6) barony map of ‘The Liberties of the Citty of Kilkenny’ and the parish map of ‘St Patricks Parish’ indicate a castle in the S portion of ‘Clonemoryne wood’ or ‘Wood of Clonemorne’ (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin). The terrier accompanying the parish map notes, ‘a Castle in repaire in Clonemorne’ and the proprietors in 1640 is listed as ‘Shrub wood & Timber’ in Clonemorne which belonged to George Shea (ibid.). Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 218) notes that, 'George Shee, son of Helias, survived down to 1653, when, as an Irish Papist, he forfeited the castles and lands of Clonmoran, Holdensrath and Sholdhamrath, now Shellumsrath, and all his other possessions. His property was divided between the Cromwellians, Overington Blunden and Captain Thomas Evans'. The townland on the Down Survey appears to equate with Castleblunden townland. There is no visible trace of a castle at ground level. See attached: KK019-032001-_01 extract from the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map of ‘The Liberties of the Citty of Kilkenny’ (Hib. Reg., courtesy of Trinity College Dublin) KK019-032001-_02 extract from the Down Survey (1655-6) parish map of ‘St Patricks Parish’ (Hib. Reg., courtesy of Trinity College Dublin) Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 5 October 2020

• KK019-032002 Bawn
  Description

  Bence-Jones (1988, 62) mentions an earlier house or castle (KK019-032001-) which occupied the moated enclosure behind the present Castle Blunden which was built in the 18th century. The Down survey (1655-6) barony map of ‘The Liberties of the Citty of Kilkenny’ and the parish map of ‘St Patricks Parish’ indicate a castle in the S portion of ‘Clonemoryne wood’ or ‘Wood of Clonemorne’ (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin). The terrier accompanying the parish map notes, ‘a Castle in repaire in Clonemorne’ and the proprietors in 1640 is listed as ‘Shrub wood & Timber’ in Clonemorne which belonged to George Shea. The townland on the Down Survey appears to equate with Castleblunden townland. There is no visible trace of a castle at ground level. The moated enclosure, possibly the bawn of the castle, survives as a large rectangular area (dims. c. 72m NE-SW; c. 60m NW-SE) enclosed by a waterfilled fosse (Wth c. 5-8m). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 5 October 2020

• KK019-107 Pit-burial
  Description

  In a flat plain stretching E of the Slieve Ardagh Hills to Kilkenny City (4km to the NE) and the Nore valley, 38m S of the source of the Stony Stream. Uncovered during archaeological monitoring (licence no. 99E0756) of a Bord Gáis Éireann gas pipeline development (Stevens 2000, 139). A single cremation pit was found cut into the underlying yellow, glacial boulder clay (ibid.). It was a small, partially truncated, circular pit (diam. 0.5m; D 0.1m), with a concave profile (ibid.). The pit contained a uniform charcoal-rich fill with occasional pebbles and small stones, with 40% of the deposit composed of crushed cremated human bone, measuring 5-20mm in diameter, distributed throughout the fill but with concentrations to the middle and sides (ibid.). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 19 October 2020

Architectural heritage

• Castle Blunden, country house, 1740–1760 · National interest
  Description

  Detached seven-bay three-storey over basement Classical-style country house, c.1750, on a symmetrical plan with (single-storey) prostyle tetrastyle pedimented Roman Doric portico to centre ground floor, two-bay three-storey side elevations, and three-bay full-height central return to west. Hipped slate roof on a U-shaped plan (ending in gables to rear (west) elevation; hipped to return) with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks, slightly sproketed eaves, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves having iron brackets. Part ivy-clad unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls over random rubble stone construction with cut-limestone dressings including quoins to corners, stringcourses to each floor, round-headed recessed niche to centre first floor having cut-limestone block-and-start surround incorporating keystone, and heraldic plaque to centre top floor with cut-limestone surround. Square-headed window openings (round-headed window opening to return) with cut-limestone sills, cut-limestone block-and-start surrounds having keystones (plain surrounds to basement having keystones), six-over-six and three-over-six (top floor) timber sash windows having four-over-eight timber sash windows to basement with wrought iron bars. Square-headed door opening under prostyle tetrastyle pedimented Roman Doric portico (having cut-limestone columns with responsive pilasters supporting entablature, frieze having central panel, and carved limestone surround to pediment having modillions) with carved cut-limestone surround, and glazed timber panelled double doors. Interior with timber panelled shutters to window openings. Set back from road in own grounds with gravel forecourt, and landscaped grounds to site.

• Castle Blunden, icehouse, 1740–1760 · Regional interest
  Description

  Freestanding single-bay single-storey Gothic-style icehouse, c.1750, on a circular plan with single-bay single-storey gabled projecting porch. Conical slate roof (continuing into gable to porch behind parapet) with clay ridge tiles, acorn finial to apex, and no rainwater goods on red brick stepped eaves. Painted roughcast walls over random rubble limestone construction with round recess to gable to porch having concealed red brick dressings, cut-limestone finials to parapet, painted roughcast recessed flanking screen walls having pointed-arch recesses with concealed red brick dressings, and cut-limestone coping terminating in cut-limestone finials. Pointed-arch door opening with concealed red brick dressings, and no fittings. Interior with barrel vault to porch having red brick irregular bond-lined walls, and red brick Running bond (header course) walls to icehouse chamber. Set back from road in grounds shared with Castle Blunden.

• Castle Blunden, gates/railings/walls, 1790–1810 · Regional interest
  Description

  Gateway, c.1800, comprising pair of rusticated limestone ashlar piers with cut-limestone capping having finials, unpainted roughcast curved flanking walls having cut-limestone coping supporting iron railings with Fleur-de-Lys finials, and limestone ashlar terminating piers having cut-limestone capping. Set back from road in grounds shared with Castle Blunden.

• Castle Blunden, farmyard complex, 1740–1760 · Regional interest
  Description

  Farmyard complex, c.1750, about a courtyard including: (i) Detached three-bay two-storey outbuilding with elliptical-headed carriageway to centre ground floor. Hipped slate roof with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stack, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Unpainted roughcast walls over random rubble stone construction. Square-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills, six-over-six (ground floor) and three-over-three (first floor) timber sash windows. Square-headed door openings with timber doors. Elliptical-headed carriageway to centre ground floor with concealed red brick voussoirs incorporating cut-limestone double keystone, no fittings, and section of stone cobbling to carriageway. Set back from road in grounds shared with Castle Blunden. (ii) Detached three-bay two-storey outbuilding originally with segmental-headed carriageways to ground floor. Renovated, c.1950, with carriageways remodelled. Hipped slate roof with clay ridge tiles, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Unpainted roughcast walls over random rubble stone construction. Square-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills, concealed red brick dressings, and louvered timber panel fittings having four-over-four timber sash windows to ground floor. Segmental-headed carriageways to outer bays to ground floor remodelled, c.1950, accommodating square-headed openings with tongue-and-groove timber panelled half-doors having sidelights. (iii) Detached three-bay single-storey lodge on an L-shaped plan with single-bay single-storey return to east. Hipped slate roof on an L-shaped plan with clay ridge tiles, and iron rainwater goods on squared rubble stone eaves. Random rubble stone walls with ivy-clad buttress piers. Square-headed window openings (in bipartite arrangement to side (north) elevation) with cut-stone sills, and two-over-two timber sash windows having three-over-three timber sash windows to bipartite opening. Square-headed door opening between buttress piers with glazed timber panelled door. (iv) Detached two-bay single-storey mono-pitched outbuilding on an L-shaped plan with single-bay single-storey mono-pitched projecting bay to left. Mono-pitched slate roof on an L-shaped plan with clay ridge tiles, and iron rainwater goods on timber eaves. Unpainted rendered walls. Square-headed window openings with painted sills, and six-over-six timber sash windows. Square-headed door opening with timber boarded door. (v) Detached six-bay two-storey outbuilding on an L-shaped plan comprising three-bay two-storey range with three-bay two-storey perpendicular range having two-bay single-storey wing to right. Hipped slate roof on an L-shaped plan (pitched to wing) with clay ridge tiles, red brick Running bond squat chimney stack to wing, and no rainwater goods surviving on red brick stepped eaves. Unpainted roughcast walls over random rubble stone construction with iron tie bars to first floor, and exposed random rubble limestone construction to wing. Round-headed door opening with square-headed flanking door openings in camber-headed recesses having concealed red brick dressings, and no fittings surviving. Lunette window openings to first floor with cut-limestone sills, concealed dressings, and no fittings surviving. Square-headed window opening to wing in camber-headed recess with cut-limestone sill, painted red brick dressings, and remains of timber window. Square-headed door opening with remains of timber door having overlight.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_2149 (ZIP).

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Castleblunden with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Kilkenny.

Name

Castleblunden · Caisleán Chluain Morna

Area

795,034 m² (79.5 ha, 196.46 acres)

Civil parish

St. Patrick'S, and its townlands

Barony

Shillelogher

Electoral division

Kilkenny Rural, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Kilkenny Rural electoral division: 18,603 people in 6,480 households; 64% of households own their home; 38% of homes were built since 2001; 4% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 0% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Baunreagh, Bigbog, Clonmoran, Drakeland Middle, Drakeland Upper, Mortgage Fields

Placenames

Castleblunden on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.