Overview
A fragment of a tower house associated with the O’Kennedy family stands beside the harbour here. Garrykennedy (Irish: Garraí Uí Chinnéide, “O’Kennedy’s field”) sits on the eastern shore of Lough Derg, near Portroe in County Tipperary. It grew up around a natural inlet and has settled into an easy lakeside village, with the Arra Hills rising behind.
History and the castle
The O’Kennedy clan (Uí Chinnéide) are associated with the tower house now called Garrykennedy Castle, built from local limestone rubble. It did not have a long working life, and a fragment of it stands today beside the harbour. Enough survives to read as an Irish tower house: narrow loop windows, defensive embrasures, and a mural chamber in the south wall that still shows the impressions of the wicker mats used to hold up the vault while the mortar set. For more on this kind of building, see our guide to Irish Castles.
Stay on the public harbour paths and keep clear of the ruins. The castle sits on rough, grassy ground with loose stones, so it is a place to look at rather than climb on.
The harbour and quay
The historic cut-stone quay is recorded in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. In earlier centuries the quay shipped out locally quarried slate and took in turf and timber. The commercial trade is long gone, and the harbour is now the centre of village life.
Keep clear of the quay edge, particularly with children. If you are arriving by water, consult Waterways Ireland’s route and conditions guidance before setting out, and check with the harbour for the facilities available.
The shore and wildlife
The lakeside is a pleasant place for a short look at the water. Check local signs before walking any path along the shore.
The shoreline draws swans, herons and cormorants, and the harbour is a good place to watch ducks and other waterbirds close to the stone walls.
Village life
Village life centres on Larkins Bar & Restaurant, a family-run pub overlooking the lake. Opening days and food service change with the season, so check with the pub before planning a meal or a music night around it.
There is a playground by the harbour and picnic space in the parkland for a lakeside lunch. Discover Lough Derg has visitor information for the area.
Practical information
- Getting there: no public bus reaches the village, so a car is the practical way to come. Nenagh is the nearest large town.
- Accessibility: the castle ruin sits on rough, grassy ground with loose stones. Check the condition of the lakeside path locally before bringing a wheelchair or buggy.
- Weather: the lakeside gets windy in autumn and winter, so layer up.
Come on a still weekday morning for the shore and the swans, and give yourself time to look closely at the stonework of the tower house.