years king of Ulster, and for one year A.D. 357, king of Ireland. He was one of the seven disciples whom St. Patrick left with St. Fiach at Sleaty, which is situated on the Barrow in the Queen's County, about seven miles to the south of Kilkea. The chief scene of St. Kays mission was at Inishbeg in the Wexford Haven, but he was also the founder as well as the patron of the church of Donadea in the Barony of Ikeathy, in the north of Co. Kildare, the old form of the name was "Domhnach Caoide", meaning St. Kay's Church; his death took place soon after the 5th century.

There are three features of special interest to be noted at this castle:-1. The Evil Eye Stone, which is built 17 ft above the ground into the quoin of the "Guard-room", close to the entrance gate of the bawn. The idea of the "Evil Eye" is that a person unknown to himself may possess it, so that by admiring or looking at a human being, beast, or crop etc., he would unintentionally cause it to sicken or be blighted by its evil influence; to prevent that, at the present day, the people will add "God bless it" or God bless you" when taking any special notice of anything; while in olden times grotesquely cut carvings were built into castles near the entrance