Baile na bPoibleog: The Townland of the Poplar Trees
W A Jones writing in the Cork Historical and Archaeological Journal in 1910 maintained that the first residence of the Norman Synans was a fort near Byblox which was built by Gerod Synan, before Richardstown Castle was erected in 1291. If so it would very possibly have been an earlier type circular fort, or at most a motte-and-bailey, as there seems to be no tradition oat Byblox, near Doneraile other than this. ‘Nicholas Synane of Bibblogstown’ was pardoned by Queen Elizabeth in 1600, but early in the following year he was described as of ‘Tolegmore’ in transferring property to John Mann an Elizabethen.
Byblox was purchased from Nicholas ‘Sunane’ and held by Sir William St Leger, in 1636, and in 1696. Arthur St Leger (later the first Lord Doneraile) granted the place to William Deane. Deane later left it to William Langley, his son-in-law, and that family lived in the old house until 1790 when it was burned down. The later house was built in 1793, being demolished in the last decade and a further house put up in its place. Father Vaughan suggests that the Synans built castles or ‘Outlier fortifications’ at Croke (see Kroke na Kreeoge) and the nearby Old Court as well as Byblox. The name comes from ‘Baile-na-bPoibleog’ or “The Townland of the Poplar Trees’ since it occupies one end of Gleann na Goth or ‘The Glen of Cats’ it being said in local legend that anyone living in the glen has the curse of nine green cats who lived there and who gave the place its name.
Without further evidence it must remain a debatable site.
From “The Castles of County Cork”. James N. Healy, Mercer Press, Cork and Dublin, 1988.