Ardfinnan

105 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Ardfinnan, from 37 m² to 190,335 m² (19.03 ha, 47.03 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 16 neighbouring parcels touch it.

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

• R2Existing Residential (Existing residential)
  Tipperary County Development Plan 2022_2028 Settlement Plans, Tipperary · 46 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• M2Town / Village Centre (City/Town/village Centre, central area)
  Tipperary County Development Plan 2022_2028 Settlement Plans, Tipperary · 24 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• P1Agriculture
  Tipperary County Development Plan 2022_2028 Settlement Plans, Tipperary · 3 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• S5Social and Public (Mixed/general community services/facilities uses)
  Tipperary County Development Plan 2022_2028 Settlement Plans, Tipperary · 1 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• G1Amenity (Open space, park)
  Tipperary County Development Plan 2022_2028 Settlement Plans, Tipperary · 0 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• R1New Residential (New/proposed residential)
  Tipperary County Development Plan 2022_2028 Settlement Plans, Tipperary · 0 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

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

• 11 Aug 2026N/a

  the widening of an existing vehicular entrance

  Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2660783

• 24 Jun 2025Conditional

  (i) Single Storey Extension to Rear of Dwelling ; (ii) Detached Garage/Store and (iii) Timber Garden Shed

  Retention · Tipperary County Council, 2560600

• 28 Mar 2024Conditional

  demolishing the existing rear extension and construct a new extension to the rear and side of dwelling house including extending the driveway and increasing the site area

  Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2460220

• 7 Mar 2023Conditional

  a new extension to the side and rear of the existing house, to demolish the existing extension and associated site works

  Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2360157

• 18 Mar 2021Conditional

  a) construct a single storey extension to the side/rear of existing dwelling, b) demolish an existing shed to the rear of dwelling and c) all associated site works

  Permission · Tipperary County Council, 21335

• 6 Feb 2020Conditional

  demolition of the single storey section to the side of the existing dwelling and to construct a two storey extension to the side of the existing dwelling, a garage to the rear of the existing dwelling and all associated site works

  Permission · Tipperary County Council, 2097

• 10 Apr 2019Conditional

  (i) extend our existing dwelling and (ii) to install a new waste water treatment system and all associated site works

  Permission · Tipperary County Council, 19600358

• 31 Oct 2018Conditional

  to construct a single storey extension to side and rear of existing two-storey dwelling and associated site development works.

  Permission · Tipperary County Council, 18601309

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

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: Lower River Suir SAC 002137

Recorded monuments

• TS082-067 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  Just off the crest of a SW-facing slope in rolling pasture, with the River Suir c. 300m to the S. Roughly circular area (diam. c. 33m N-S; c. 38m E-W) enclosed by an earthen bank (Wth 2.3m base-7.5m base; int. H 1.33m; ext. H 1.87m) which is less pronounced upslope to the NE. The interior and banks are heavily overgrown with scrub. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 11 February 2014

• TS082-068001 Church
  Description

  On a hill over-looking the River Suir with Ardfinnan Castle (TS088-001001-) and settlement (TS088-001----) c. 350m below to the SSW. St. Fionan Lobhar founded a monastery in Ardfinnan in the 7th century, supposedly on the site of the present Protestant church (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 29; Killanin and Duignan 1967, 66). The monastery, together with the town, was plundered and burned by the Anglo-Normans in 1178 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 29). The medieval church is depicted in a sketch drawn in 1744 as a largely ruined building, though the central section is roofed (Harbison 2000, 196-7). This central portion was renovated for Anglican worship in c. 1724 (Butler 2006, 189-90). In 1807 the medieval church was replaced by the present C of I church (ibid., 282). Several of the early 19th-century windows have been replaced and some of the former surrounds are lying around the graveyard (TS082-068005-). The earlier monastery or medieval church is not visible at ground level. In the SE corner of the graveyard, adjacent to the boundary wall, there is an early 17th-century chest tomb (TS088-002003-). According to Gwynn and Hadcock (1988, 339), the church was confirmed to the Knights Hospitallers in 1212 and ‘The king, Philip of Worcester (Justiciar in 1184) and Raymond de Carreu granted the ch[urch] and lands which were alienated temp [or in reign of] Pr[ior] Walter de Ewyas (c. 1300), and a free chapel was served by a chaplain daily’. The tithes were leased by Prior Massingberd c. 1558 (ibid.). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 11 February 2014

• TS082-068002 Earthwork
  Description

  On a NE-facing slope in a field N of the church (TS082-068001-), under pasture. A hilltop enclosure (TS082-090----) is visible c. 400m to the E. A number of earthworks show up on aerial photographs (CUCAP 13 July 1966 APA 10 and 8 and GSI May 1977 S.689/8) including a roadway (TS082-068006-). The earthworks are visible as low banks sub-dividing areas within the field. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• TS082-068004 Enclosure
  Description

  On the S-facing slope of a hill NE of the medieval church (TS082-068001-) of Ardfinnan. A hilltop enclosure (TS082-090----) is clearly visible c. 220m to the SE. A circular enclosure (diam. 45m NW-SE), not indicated on the OS 6-inch maps, but visible on an aerial photograph (CUCAP 13 July 1966 APA 8). It has been partially levelled, the lower SW portion is difficult to discern. Otherwise the enclosure is defined by scarp (H 1.07m over 5m). The scarp in the NW quadrant is not clearly defined where the edge of the scarp coincides with the edge of a disused roadway/hollow. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 11 February 2014

• TS082-068005 Graveyard
  Description

  St. Fionan Lobhar founded a monastery in Ardfinnan in the 7th century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 29), supposedly on the site of the present C of I church (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 66) which is roughly centrally placed within the graveyard. There is no visible trace at ground level of the earlier monastery or medieval church (TS082-068001-). The graveyard is sub-rectangular in shape (diam. 47m NW-SE; c. 50m NE-SW) enclosured by a stone wall with an entrance from the road in the SW quadrant. In the SE corner of the graveyard, adjacent to the boundary wall, there is an early 17th-century chest tomb (TS088-002003-). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 11 February 2014

• TS082-068006 Road - road/trackway
  Description

  On a NE-facing slope in the field immediately SE of the medieval church (TS082-068001-) of Ardfinnan, under pasture. A hilltop enclosure (TS082-090----) is visible c. 400m to the E. A number of earthworks (TS082-068002-) show up on aerial photographs (CUCAP 13 July 1966 APA 10 and 8 and GSI May 1977 S.689/8) between the church and the trackway. On the hill NE of the church there is a circular enclosure (TS082-068004-) the edge of which coincides with the edge of the disused roadway/hollow. This disused trackway (L c. 560m; Wth 5.9m) which runs NE-SW is marked on the 1st (1840) OS 6-inch map and on the 1904-05 ed. the lower portion is shown as a footpath, while the upper portion has become a field boundary. It runs downslope (L c. 250m) to NE and crosses a tarmacadamed road, it continues to run up the hill (L c. 330m) to NE of the church hill (Wth 4.5m; H of scarp 0.32m over 6m) before again meeting a tarmacadamed road (L 750m), which leads onto a disused footpath (L c. 1.5km) before joining with a possible section of the Rian Bo Phadraig which is a tarmacadamed road (TS082-006----). The SW section of this trackway runs up over the church hill and down to the base of this slope. However, this downslope section has been interrupted by the insertion of a garden across its path. The trackway is defined by a bank on either side. The NW side (Wth 0.8m; int. H 0.42m; ext. H 0.12m) is built into the slope while the SE side (Wth 1m crest, 1.7m base; int. H 0.3m; ext. H 0.75m) is free standing. The inner face of both banks is stone revetted. The roadway continues NE down the hill slope but is less clear than on the SW side of the hill. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 11 February 2014

• TS088-001 Settlement deserted - medieval
  Description

  In the 7th century St. Fionan Lobhar founded a monastery in Ardfinnan. This is located c. 300m N of Ardfinnan village on the site of the C of I church (Killanin and Duignan, 1967, 66). In 1185 Ardfinnan castle was built by Prince John of England (ibid). The settlement was granted borough status in 1558 by James, the fourth Earl of Ormond (Curtis 1941, COD vol. 5, 108-9). The precise location of this settlement is unknown, it is thus unlocated within the townlands of Ardfinnan and Commons (Ardfinnan Par.). However, it is likely that the settlement was located between the castle and the church. (FitzPatrick and Farrelly 1993, 1-5). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of revised upload: 29 September 2021

• TS088-001001 Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle
  Description

  In a strategic position on top of a massive rock outcrop overlooking the River Suir to the S, located in the NE angle of the bawn (TS088-001008-). According to the annals King John erected a castle at Ardfinnan in 1185 (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 27-8), this was probably when the land was granted to 'Philip of Worcester [who] was certainly in possession of Offa (alias Ardfinnan) at an early stage of the conquest, for he granted a fief there to Gerald fitz Maurice' (Empey 1981, 8, 10). It was beseiged during the Cromwellian wars in the mid-17th century (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 66). The Civil Survey (1654-6) in relation to 'The Mannor & castle of Ardfynane' in 1640, lists the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore as the proprietor and 'Richard Butler of Ardfinane' as 'Lessee' and states that 'Upon the s[ad]d lands stands a castle & the walls of a castle, ye walls of a stone house & a bawne' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 410). A roughly circular keep (int. diam. 6.9m N-S; 7.2m E-W; wall T 2.3m) which is four-storeys high and composed of limestone rubble, roughly coursed with a substantial base-batter (Wth 0.6m). It is entered at ground-floor level in the SE face, though the opening was much modified in the 19th century. The ground-floor chamber contains three embrasures, two with loops, that in the NE being a cross-loop, and one with a modified window opening in the N face. The ground floor was vaulted, however, this vault was modified in the 19th century when vaulted arches supported on six rectangular columns were inserted. Access from the ground to the first floor was via a spiral stairs (int. dims. 2.3m) which is contained within a projecting semi-circular turret on the SW face, entered from the W side of the ground-floor door embrasure. At first-floor level the spiral stairs leads to a mural stair in the W face which opens into an entrance embrasure, which possibly contained a light. This has been broken out to form a first-floor entrance to facilitate access from the garden. The first-floor chamber was lit by three loops and there is an inserted fireplace in the N wall. The second floor rested on a wooden floor which no longer survives and was accessed directly from the spiral stairs. The second floor was modified in the 15th/16th century, two window embrasures in the E and S have inserted two-light cusped ogee-headed windows while the embrasure containing a cross-loop in the N face has been altered to become a flat-lintelled fireplace of joggle-jointed dressed limestone with a chamfered edge. Another embrasure in the NW face has been blocked up. The spiral stairs continues up to battlemented wall-walk, of which only the crenellations on the N face remain. The exterior of the castle is quite heavily ivy-clad and the interior walls at first and second-floor level are obscured by vegetation. The keep is of early 13th-century date with later modifications from the 15th up to the 19th century. A towerhouse (TS088-001009-), still occupied, was built onto the SE angle of the bawn in the 15th century. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 November 2013

• TS088-001003 Mill - unclassified
  Description

  The Civil Survey (1654-6) refers to a 'mill Greist' as being included in 'The Mannor … of Ardfynane' of which the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore was the proprietor and Richard Butler was the leasee (Simington 1931, vol. 2, 410). This may refer to a mill which stood on the W side of Ardfinnan bridge (TS088001002-) at its N end and appears to be the building depicted on a sketch by Grose (1791, vol.1, Pl.109). This building was demolished and the site is currently occupied by 19th/20th-century structures. A sculpted head (TS088-001004-) was embedded in the masonry of the demolished mill. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• TS088-001008 Bawn
  Description

  In a strategic position on top of a massive rock outcrop overlooking the River Suir to the S. According to the annals King John erected a castle at Ardfinnan in 1185 (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 27-8), this was probably when the land was granted to 'Philip of Worcester [who] was certainly in possession of Offa (alias Ardfinnan) at an early stage of the conquest, for he granted a fief there to Gerald fitz Maurice' (Empey 1981, 8, 10). The 13th-century keep (TS088-001001-) is located in the NE angle of the bawn and a towerhouse (TS088-001009-) was built onto the SE angle in the 15th century. The castle was beseiged during the Cromwellian wars in the mid-17th century (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 66). The Civil Survey (1654-6) in relation to 'The Mannor & castle of Ardfynane' in 1640, lists the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore as the proprietor and 'Richard Butler of Ardfinane' as 'Lessee' and states that 'Upon the s[ad]d lands stands a castle & the walls of a castle, ye walls of a stone house & a bawne' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 410). The bawn is composed of limestone rubble roughly coursed, with an external base-batter. It formerly enclosed a rectangular area, however, only the S length which runs alongs the precipitous edge of the outcrop, a small portion of the SW angle and the E wall (L 25.15m) survive. A gateway (Wth 3.09m) is located in the E wall near the keep in the NE angle, it is possibly an 18th/19th century insertion, though the voussoirs on the W face are thin, rough limestone blocks set on edge which may indicate a pre-18th century date. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 November 2013

• TS088-001009 Castle - tower house
  Description

  On top of a massive rock outcrop overlooking the River Suir to the S, its strategic position dominating the settlement and bridge below. Ardfinnan Castle was beseiged during the Cromwellian wars in the mid-17th century (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 66). The tower house (ext. dims. c. 6m x 10m), still occupied, is built onto the SE angle of the bawn of the 13th-century castle (TS088-001001-). It is at least four storeys high and is rendered with plaster. None of the original fenestration is extant, with the possible exception of a loop in the E face. Visible original features include a series of crude dripstones in the top masonry courses and a pronounced base-batter. A caphouse runs N-S along the E wall. (Farrelly and FitzPatrick 1993, 1-5). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• TS088-002003 Tomb - chest tomb
  Description

  In the SE corner of the graveyard, adjacent to the boundary wall, there is a large altar tomb. The upper slab commemorates Dermot O'Halley and has wife Katherina Roche/Rochester. The slab (dims. 2m x 1.17m; T 0.19m) is decorated with a large wheel-cross with fleur-de-lys terminals and a plain shaft which terminates in a calvary mount. Both sides of the shaft are decorated with plain heater-shaped shields. The perimeter of the slab bears the following latin inscription in plain raised lettering: 'Hic Jacet Dermicius O Halli Propria Cum Uxore Katherina Rocheecer Unt Fier Marmoris is Udopus Anno Domini 162?' (Farrelly and FitzPatrick, Field Report 1993). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011

Architectural heritage

• Ardfinnan Castle, country house, 1200–1890 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached irregular-plan multi-period country house, comprising surviving south circuit of medieval bawn with square-plan tower house built c.1450 at southeast angle and with early thirteenth-century keep at northeast angle, and having eighteenth and nineteenth-century additions. Tower house is four-storey with two-bay side elevations and has four-bay three-storey block of c.1750 added to north side, having slightly advanced west bay, with further two-storey block to west presenting one-bay to front elevation and two to rear, and with lower canted single-bay two-storey entrance link between these later blocks, link and west block being built c.1885. Link block echoed in rear elevation by angular one-bay three-storey block. Twelve-bay single-storey flat-roofed block to east side east block, running on northeast to southwest axis. Pitched slate roofs with stepped crenellations to tower house and simpler crenellations elsewhere. Lines of dripstones to south and east elevations of tower house, and moulded course to base of slightly projecting parapets of projecting part of main later block and to west block. Crowstep parapet to east elevation of four-bay block, simple crenellations to west end and stepped battlements to western block. Rubble limestone chimneystack to four-bay block, with brick quoins, brick and rendered elsewhere, with cast-iron rainwater goods. Single-storey block has parapet with sloping coping and stepped crenellations to centre and ends, with moulded string course to base of parapet. Coursed rubble and dressed limestone front elevation to four-bay block, rubble limestone to east elevation of tower house and rendered to other elevations, and snecked dressed limestone to front elevation of west block. Square-headed window openings, having render label-mouldings to south and west elevations of tower house and front and rear elevations of west end of four-bay block and of west block. Pointed single-light and double-light pointed windows to south and east elevations of tower house, with chamfered limestone surrounds, ogee-headed window and pointed window with hood-moulding to west elevation and slit window to east elevation. Chamfered limestone surrounds to east elevation and east end bays of front elevation of four-bay block, with timber sliding sash one-over-one pane windows, some double. Chamfered limestone surrounds to west block. Timber casement windows to east end of front elevations of blocks and metal casements elsewhere. Mullioned timber casement windows to single-storey block. Pointed-arch entrance door opening with studded timber battened door and metal strap hinges. Ruined cylindrical keep of early thirteenth-century date, with semi-circular staircase annex to northeast of site. Rendered staircases to stepped gardens. Octagonal-plan rendered piers with decorative wrought-iron gates, and rendered and crenellated rubble limestone walls to site entrance.

• Mill (water), 1880–1910 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached double-pile eight-bay two-storey mill, built c.1895, with two-bay end north end elevation to each block. Blocked lean-to porch to front elevation. Now disused. Pitched slate roofs with red brick chimneystack to southwest, and cast-iron rainwater goods. Rendered rubble limestone walls, with dressed quoins where exposed. Square-headed window openings with raised moulded red brick surrounds and sills, front having metal-framed windows with pivoting toplights to first floor, blocked to ground floor, with blocked openings to rear first floor and replacement to ground, and uPVC replacement to south elevation. Square-headed door opening to rear with red brick surround and timber battened door. Ancillary buildings to site have pitched slate and tarred roofs with roof lights, rendered walls and square-headed openings, some with replacement uPVC windows. Segmental-arch bridge over millstream with cut limestone voussoirs. Wrought-iron railings to front of site.

• Bridge, 1600–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Thirteen-arch road bridge over River Suir, rebuilt c. 1800, showing evidence of widening to east elevation, but likely to incorporate medieval and/or seventeenth-century fabric. Irregular arches, varying between round and segmental and of varying heights, with cut-stone V-cutwaters to west elevation. Three dry round overflow arches to south end, and segmental arch over millstream to east side of north end. Rubble limestone walls with cut limestone voussoirs, rendered soffits, rubble limestone parapet walls with flat capstones, render coping to south end of west parapet, and rectangular drainage holes with lintels to carriageway. Large pipe carried across east elevation.

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

At the centre of the townland of Ardfinnan, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as high, moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Ardfinnan.

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under 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 Ardfinnan with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Tipperary.

Name

Ardfinnan · Ard Fhíonáin

Area

1,093,695 m² (109.37 ha, 270.26 acres)

Civil parish

Ardfinnan, and its townlands

Barony

Iffa and Offa West

Electoral division

Tullaghmelan, the unit of the census

Census 2022

1,116 people lived in 399 households in the Tullaghmelan electoral division. 72% of households owned their home. 29% of homes were built since 2001. 7% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ballyneety, Castlekeale, Cloghardeen, Commons, Farraneshagh, Magherareagh, Marlhill, Reechestown, Shortcastle, Spital-Land, Touloure

Placenames

Ardfinnan 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.