The History of Gleninagh Castle, Co. Clare.
By Martin Breen
The castle of Gleninagh was an O'Loughlin stronghold. The O'Loughlins were the self-styled
"Princes of Burren". They inhabited the castle, which dates from the early sixteenth century,
down to the end of the 19th century.(1) The castle is unusual in that it is L-shaped, having the
spiral stairs in the projecting turret or side wing, which is contemporaneous with the main
building.(2) According to Westropp a stone could be raised in the top landing, disclosing a slit
for the defence of the staircase.(3) It had many other defensive features including bartizans
with musket holes at roof level. There is also a cellar under the ground floor.(4)
In 1544 Gleninagh was granted to Richard Harding by King Henry VIII.(5) In 1570 the castle
was owned by James Lynch of Galway(6) and by 1574 it was owned by the O'Loughlins of
Burren.(7) In 1585 a pardon was issued by Queen Elizabeth I to several men from Gleninagh
who were listed as kearn or foot soldiers. The names recorded are MacMurrough,
MacDonnel, MacGilladuff, Mahon Leigh ("the grey"), MacBrian, MacDonnoghe and
MacDermot. They were each fined six shillings and eight pence English, and bound to the
peace.(8) In 1629 the lands of Gleninagh were owned by the see of Kilfenora and were worth
£1 annually in rent. The Dean of Kilfenora at the time was Higat Lowe.(9) In 1641
Gleninagh was still owned by the see of Kilfenora,(10) and by 1667 one Archbishop Parker of
Kilfenora could claim over 1,200 acres in Gleninagh.(11) The tenant at Gleninagh in 1659
was Teige O'Hea, and in 1664 Nicholas Dooley was rated for the whole of Gleninagh.(12) In
1650, during the Cromwellian campaign in Ireland, Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin,
(known as Murchadh na dTóiteán, "Murrough the Burner") went into exile in France. Both
he and the Earl of Ormond realised that there was nothing more to achieve in Ireland.(13)
They sailed from Gleninagh in December of that year.(14) It is conceivable that they spent
their last night at Gleninagh Castle. It was to be a full decade before Murrough was again to
see Ireland.(15)
The O'Loughlins regained possession of the castle and lived here until at least 1840.(16)
Lewis states in 1837 that the castle was occupied(17) and O'Donovan, writing in 1839, tells us
that the castle "is now in good repair and thatched with straw which gives it rather a homely
appearance."(18) Westropp, writing in 1900 tells us that the castle was "recently
inhabited."(19) The Office of Public Works has carried out repairs and conservation works to
the castle on a few occasions since then.
References:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. - 1900 p425
"Notes on the Lesser Castles or 'Peel Towers' of the County Clare". T.J. Westropp.
Proceedings of the Royal Academy (1899), 3rd series. Vol. 5, no. 3 - p355
J.R.S.A.I. - 1900 p425
Seán Spellissey and John O'Brien, Clare County of Contrast. p102
Ordnance Survey Letters, Co. Clare, ( John O'Donovan/Eugene O'Curry).Vol. I p8
State Papers, Ireland, Elizabeth. Vol XXX, No. 68,1. (A list of the castles in Co. Clare
in 1570). Published by Martin Breen, North Munster Antiquarian Journal, 1995, Vol.
XXXVI.
State Papers, Ireland, Elizabeth. Vol XLV, No. 35,1. (A list of castles in Co. Clare in
1574). Published by R.W.Twigge, Journal of the North Munster Archaeological
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
Society. Vol I, No 2. 1910, p78.
The Irish Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns (Elizabeth). (De Búrca, Dublin 1994),
Elizabeth, no. 4723
John Ainsworth. The Inchiquin Manuscripts (Dublin 1961), no. 1045
James Frost, The History and Topography of the County of Clare, (Dublin 1878),
p440
Ainsworth, no. 1554
Frost p440 note I
Ivar O'Brien. Murrough The Burner (Ballinakella, 1991) pp31-32
Ellis, Peter B. Hell or Connaught (London, 1975) p23
Ivar O'Brien, Ibid
Clare County of Contrasts p102
Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, (Baltimore 1984, reprint) vol.
I p335
O.S.L. Vol. I p74
J.R.S.A.I. 1900 p425