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This elegant 17th Century building was built by James Butler 1st Duke of Ormond between 1673 and 1684 as a prestigious courthouse for the Palatine of County Tipperary.
As well as a courthouse, there were private apartments, a dining room and a drawing room. The ground floor was an open arcade with 5 semi-circular arches at the West Side and similar arches on the north side. The Main Guard was a "Thosel" an office where tolls, duties and customs were collected. It was also a convenient place for civic gatherings. It was an assize court from 1716 until 1810 when it became a barracks hence the name Main Guard which still survives Fr Nicolas Sheehy was tried here in 1766.
The Main Guard was recently reconstructed and brought back to its original appearance when built between 1673 - 1684. T