The folklore around castles/keeps in Ireland is similar to that of old folklore surrounding old raths/raheens/forts; “where you see one, you’ll always see three”. Not an exact science, but for collective and defensive purposes, it is generalyl believed that when you stand in an old raheen or a fort, you can spot one, if not two others nearby. Like wise, in the case of the site of Ballytramon Castle, I was told by Pax Shortall that the castle at Ardtramon could be seen, as well as another castle that supposedly stood in the village; the castle which gave the village its name. This is certainly the case when you stand on the site at Ballytramon, as Ardtramon is in the distance, whilst the present day village of Castlebridge is clearly visible too.   The castle at Ballytramon was in ruins when Marie O’Leary was a young girl. She told me about the evening it fell completely. They were getting their supper and the crashing sound of the ruined castle walls falling could be heard clearly ringing out; they all ran out to hear what it was. While not knowing the exact date, she clearly states it was pre 1938. From speaking to other people, the local story goes that during clearing work, ivy was cut away from around the castle walls and when it died away the stones became loose and that’s why it fell.   Needless to say, very little of the castle is visible now. The site is now a storage yard for one of the water metering installation companies.

Ballytramon Castle

Ballytramon, Castlebridge, Co. Wexford

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