Granuaile's Castle
| Granuaile's Castle Irish: Caisleán Ghráinne | |
|
County Mayo | |
|---|---|
 Granuaile's Castle | |
| Type: | Tower house |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | L71518510 |
| Location: | 53°47’59"N, 9°57’5"W |
| History | |
| Built 16th century | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Heritage Ireland |
Granuaile's Castle is a tower house on Clare Island in County Mayo. The castle stands on the east coast of the island.
Today Granuile's Castle is in state care and noted as a 'National Monument'.[1]
History
Granuaile's Castle was built in the 16th century by the Ó Máille (O'Malley), Kings of Umaill. It was a stronghold of Grace O'Malley (or Gráinne Ní Mháille) (c. 1530 – c. 1603), the infamous "pirate queen", who came to live here after her husband, Donal O'Flaherty of Bunowen Castle, was slain in battle. Her other strongholds were at Rockfleet Castle (on Clew Bay) and Carrickkildavnet Castle.[2]
In the 1820s the castle was converted into a police barracks, and at this point the purple slate flashing was added to the two bartizans.
Building
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 |
The main living room was at that first floor level with access to the bartizans and the garderobe.[3][4][5]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Granuaile's Castle) |
References
- ↑ Monument record: Granuaile's Castle
- ↑ Academy, Royal Irish (1 January 1915). "Clare Island Survey: A Biological Survey of Clare Island in the County of Mayo, Ireland and of the Adjoining District ...". Hodges, Figgis. https://books.google.ie/books?id=v3RGAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22clare%20island%22%20Castle&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Castle.
- ↑ "Granuaile's Castle, Clare Island • Destination Westport". http://www.destinationwestport.com/places-to-visit/natural-beauty/clew-bay-islands/clare-island/granuailes-castle/.
- ↑ "Irish Castles - Granuailes Castle". http://www.britainirelandcastles.com/Ireland/County-Mayo/Granuailes-Castle.html.
- ↑ "Clare Island – The Castle". http://www.clareisland.ie/the-castle/.