18/09/2026
Tinnahinch Castle, County Carlow, 1910
After publishing an image of Graiguenamanagh last week, several followers requested more vintage views of the locality. In response, we are sharing this rare 1910 photograph capturing an image of Tinnahinch Castle. This photograph was likely shot on the same 1910 day as two of our recent features: last week’s view of Graiguenamanagh Quay in County Kilkenny, and yesterday’s photograph of the Riordan family on the River Barrow towpath.
An annotation on the reverse of this particualar print reads ‘Castle Graig’. While the River Barrow separates County Kilkenny from County Carlow, the ruined castle stands on the Carlow side very near the bridge at Graiguenamanagh (or ‘Graig’). Locals seemimngly referred to this ruined fortification as the ‘Castle at Graig’ or ‘Graig Castle’.
Constructed around 1615 by James Butler, a relative of the Duke of Ormonde, Tinnahinch Castle was a three-storey fortified tower house strategically engineered to defend a vital crossing point and ford over the River Barrow. Its defensive architecture features a prominent projecting stair tower on its southwest corner and a nicely crafted overhanging bartizan turret to guard its gates against hostiles. Following James Butler’s alignment with the Irish Confederate forces during the wars of 1641, the family lost their claim to the estate and the castle changed hands. The fortress was completely gutted by a catastrophic fire around the year 1700. It was abandoned immediately afterward and has remained a ruin ever since.
The photograph forms part of the personal papers of Fr. Urban Riordan OFM Cap., an Irish Capuchin friar who had relations residing in County Kilkenny.
