Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The context here is that it is an Anglo-Norman castle, the seat of the Barry family, and one of the finest restored Irish tower houses. It dates back to 1392 and 1420. The castle has an outer bawn wall and largely intact corner towers. The ground floor contains a dungeon in which prisoners were dropped via the drop hole located on the second floor. I did not actually go near that point. I did not tempt fate. It was purchased by a private trust set up in 1987 by concerned locals, including Peter Barry, who was a former Government Minister and would have been a colleague of Deputy Durkan. By the mid-1980s it was realised that State assistance was needed to properly complete conservation and it was agreed the State would take the castle into its ownership. The OPW and national monuments service will complete the works and undertake it on behalf of the public. The Barryscourt Trust still has an interest in the site in the form of an adjacent cottage. Formerly, this building acted as a combined coffee shop and living quarters for the general operatives. The building is fundamentally sound. It is in a beautiful setting. Certainly, when it is fully renovated, it will be a major tourist attraction. There is work. The site is located on the Wild Atlantic Way branding area and the OPW hopes to work with Fáilte Ireland on the strategic path to unlock the tourism visitor potential of the site, once all works have been completed.

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