Fantstown

28 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Fantstown, from 407 m² to 291,009 m² (29.1 ha, 71.91 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 28 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 Fantstown 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.

• 14 May 2026Refused

  construction of a dwelling house, domestic garage, entrance, proprietary treatment system along with ancillary site works

  Permission, 1 home · Limerick County Council, 2660546

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 Fantstown.

Recorded monuments

• LI048-002001 Church
  Description

  Westropp (1904-5, 428) recorded the following details about Fantstown Church in the parish of Kilbreedy Major; 'Fabric - A small church, 39 feet [13m] by 18 feet [6m]. The gables have an oblong east window and pointed west door'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 June 2019

• LI048-002002 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Ó Danachair (1955, 208) recorded the following details about this holy well; 'Lady's Well on 1840 map. A little clear spring beside the ruin of Fantstown church. Formerly much visited, but hardly ever now. A pattern was held on 15th August up to about 1820. A large ash tree grew beside the well. Legend: The Parish Priest was coming from this well one night and was shot by whiteboys. Because of this his successor abolished the pattern (This refers to the murder of Father Mulqueen, P.P., in November, 1819) (Begley 1906, 464-5)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 03 July 2019

• LI048-003 Earthwork
  Description

  In reclaimed pasture 70m S of the townland boundary with Gibbonstown. Barrow (LI048-085----) lies 110m to N. Depicted as a circular-shaped enclosure on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map. Shown on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map as a raised circular-shaped area (diam c. 17m) defined by a scarp with external fosse. Monument visible as a circular-shaped area defined by a fosse on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13. Cropmark of levelled earthwwork visible on Google Earth orthoimages where it is intersected at NE by drainage ditch running NE-SW. See attached Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Martin Fitzpatrick Date of upload: 27 August 2021

• LI048-004 Castle - tower house
  Description

  Westropp (1906-7, 192) recorded the fiollowing details about Fantstown Castle; '1583 Jas. ffant held ffantestown or Farren Inanta (Inq. Exch., 13). T. Burgat then held the C[astle]. of Fantistowne, alias Ballinantie, alias Ysbardstown ; his son John succeeded; the lands were in Athenessa Manor, under Earl of Kildare (Inq. Chan., 150). 1630 J. Burgat, of Fantstown, was trustee to Jas. .Casey, of Rathmore (Ib., 198). 1657 J. and Ellen Burgat held it (C.S., xxv., p. 14 ; D.S. A., 50, 56). 1666 Fanstown confirmed to Capt. H. Ponsonby and Lord Colloony (Act Sett.). The Fants resided near it till at least 1709, when N. Fant, of Kilmallock, made his will (Limerick Registry). Fabric - The C[astle]. is 34 feet [10.36m] by 16 feet 9 inches [5m]; walls, 5 feet 9 inches [1.75m] thick. The east door is pointed inside, and round outside; there are three stories; the second is vaulted. The fire-places and spiral-stair are perfect, the latter 50 feet [15.25m] high. There are bartizans to the north-west and south, all well preserved (O.S.L., 8, pp. 258-261)'. Fantstown Castle recently described by Salter (2004, 82) as; 'This 17m high 16th century tower measuring 13m by 8.6m had a cellar and a loft under a barrel-vault, three upper storeys and an attic within the lost parapet. The third and fourth storeys have fireplaces in side-walls, and the fifth storey has a fireplace in the SW end wall. There are bartizans containing rooms opening off the fourth storey on the NW and SE corners and there are corbels for a machicolation over the entrance in the NE wall. An arch over this end of the lowest level carries a passage leading from the spiral stair in the north corner round behind a room with gunloops to a latrine in the SE wall. The castle was held in 1583 by Jason ffant, and had probably then recently been erected by him. It was held jointly in 1666 by Captain Ponsonby and Lord Colloony'. Depicted on the 1654-56 Down Survey map of Kilbreedy parish as a tower house type structure with gabl-ended chimneystack (NLI, MS 718). The terrier of the Down Survey parish map recorded that in 1640 John Burgett and Irish Papist was the owner of Fantstown which 'accomodated a faire Castle and orchard & also with a Mill which is Driven by the River Lubagh' (Ibid.). The 1659 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that in 1640 John Burgat of Fatnstown was the owner of 'a Castle & gristmill with six Cabbyns', the 'Mill is now the Jointure of Ellen Burgatt Widdow' (Simington 1938, 237). Fantstown Castle described in 1840 as 'It measures on the inside from west wall to the wall running from doorway on east side inwards twenty two feet nine inches [6.9m] and from that to the doorway on east wall thirty four feet two inches [10.4m]. It measures from north to south wall sixteen feet nine inches [5.1m] inside. Thickness of the wall at west entrance is five feet nine inches [1.75m]. Breadth of doorway at east side is three feet four inches [1m] in the centre where it is built with chiselled lime stone, and pointed above; height to the point is five feet six inches. [1.67m] Outside this is a semicircular arch of limestone, dressed in a smiliar manner'. Its breadth at the ground is four feet [1.2m], height six feet six inches. [2m] This arch and the pointed structure attached to it on inside form the doorway. Thickness of wall here is four feet one inch [1.25m]. There is a Bevel on this side about ten feet [3m] in height. To the right as one enters the east door, a door of iron bars gives admittance to the foot of the stairs running to the top of the Castle. The stair case is spiral. The perpendicular height from the ground to the top is forty nine feet [15m]. This Castle consists of three stories; the floor next above the ground one is arched beneath. It may be supposed to have had four as it has lost some of its original height. Some fireplaces remain tolerably perfect in some of the apartments in this building and comparatively fresh plastering is visible on the walls of some of these apartments. Three of its chimneys still remain. It may be supposed to have had four; the original height may be supposed to have been sixty feet [18.3m]. Near the top on outside are two sentry boxes, one attached to it on north by west side and the other on east by south side' (O'Flanagan 1929, 77-8). A horizonal sheela-na-gig (LI048-095----) is located on the external face of a quoin stone on the NE angle of the tower house at first floor level. See attached Down survey map of Kilbreedy Parish and photograph of castle taken by Mike Searle. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 23 August 2021

• LI048-005 Earthwork
  Description

  In reclaimed pasture 110m E of the townland boundary with Tullyleak. Depicted on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map as a raised circular-shaped platform (diam c. 25m) defined by a scarp. Monument visible as a circular-shaped area delimited by bushes on Digital Globe orthoimage taken between 2011-13 and on Google Earth orthoimages. See attached Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Martin Fitzpatrick Date of upload: 27 August 2021

• LI048-095 Sheela-na-gig
  Description

  Sheela-na-gig on Fantstown Castle (LI048-004----) described by Sherlock (2004, 15-16) as; 'located on the eastern face of a quoin stone on the north-eastern corner of the building and is therefore evident as one approaches the main doorway. The figure, which is carved in false relief, is positioned horizontally on the quoin with its head towards the arris and the quoin appears similar to the others nearby, suggesting the carving is an original feature of the structure. The figure has a rounded head and a long face with clear features that tapers to the chin and meets the shoulders with no apparent attempt to represent the neck. the arms, both of which are bent at the elbow, lie beside the thin torso and the hands rest on the upper thighs. It appears that the figure was carved with the breasts being represented, but the large vulva is quite apparent, even from ground level. The legs are slightly bent at the knees, the right leg more so that then left, and the feet are out-turned. The figure may either be represented as standing or as lying down with the legs splayed'. See attached drawing of sheela-na-gig taken from Sherlock 2004 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 23 August 2021

• LI048-101 Barrow - ditch barrow
  Description

  In pasture 110m W of the townland boundary with Kilbreedy. Possible ditch-barrow (LI048-102----) lies 25m to E. Not depicted on the OSi historic 6-inch maps. Cropmark identified by the ASI from examination of aerial photographs. Levelled monument visible as a circular-shaped cropmark (diam. c. 6m) on Google Earth orthoimages. See attached Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Martin Fitzpatrick Date of upload: 6 September 2021

• LI048-102 Barrow - ditch barrow
  Description

  In pasture 85m W of the townland boundary with Kilbreedy. Possible ditch-barrow (LI048-101----) lies 25m to W. Not depicted on OSi historic 6-inch maps. Cropmark identified by ASI from examination of Google Earth aerial photographs. Outline of circular shaped area defined by a fosse visible on OSi orthpohoto taken 2005-11. Levelled monument visible as a circular-shaped cropmark (diam. c. 6m) on Google Earth orthoimages taken 13/08/2021. See attached Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Martin Fitzpatrick Date of upload: 6 September 2021

• LI048-103 Barrow - ditch barrow
  Description

  In pasture 70m S of a stream that marks the townland boundary with Gibbonstown. Possible ditch-barrow (LI048-090----) lies 120m to NW. Not depicted on OSi historic 6-inch maps. Cropmark identified by ASI from examination of Google Earth aerial photographs. Visible as a circular-shaped cropmark (diam. c. 7m) on Google Earth orthoimages taken 20/03/2018 where it is intersected at E by field drain running N-S. No surface remains visible on Google Earth orthoimage taken 13/08/2021. See attached Google Earth orthoimages. Compiled by: Martin Fitzpatrick Date of upload: 6 September 2021

Architectural heritage

• Fantstown House, house, 1820–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay two-storey house, built c. 1830, comprising gable-fronted timber porch to front (south) elevation, single-bay single-storey extension to east and return with lean-to to rear elevation. Hipped slate roof having rendered chimneystacks, overhanging eaves and cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered walls with render quoins and plinth course. Camber-headed openings to first floor having one-over-one pane timber sliding sash windows and concrete sills. Camber-headed openings to ground floor with render hoodmouldings having keystones, consoles, one-over-one pane timber sliding sash windows and concrete sills. Camber-headed opening to extension, front elevation having render hoodmoulding with keystone, consoles, one-over-one pane timber sliding sash windows and concrete sill. Square-headed openings to rear having two-over-two pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed opening to porch with glazed overlight over half-glazed timber panelled door having flanking sidelights. Round-headed opening to front elevation having glazed overlight over timber panelled door with timber consoles, flanking sidelights and panelled risers. Segmental-headed carriage arch to west having double-leaf metal gates, rendered walls and copings. Rubble limestone boundary walls to site.

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_1059 (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 Fantstown with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Limerick.

Name

Fantstown · Baile an Fhóntaigh

Area

1,478,180 m² (147.82 ha, 365.27 acres)

Civil parish

Kilbreedy Major, and its townlands

Barony

Coshlea

Electoral division

Bulgaden, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Bulgaden electoral division: 332 people in 121 households; 91% of households own their home; 24% of homes were built since 2001; 15% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 0% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ballincurra, Bawntard North, Bawntard South, Gibbonstown, Kilbreedy West, Mountcoote, Riversfield, Stookeens, Tullyleak

Placenames

Fantstown 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.