LEAMANEH CASTLE
Burren Region, County Clare


Leamaneh Castle

The original tower house of Leamaneh Castle dates back to about 1480AD. It's thought to have been built by Turlogh Donn, one of the last independent kings of the old kingdom of Ireland, which dominated the region at that time. "Leamaneh" is thought to be derived from the Irish of leim an eich, which means "the horse's leap", or from lien an fheidh, which means "the deer's leap".

In 1548, Turlogh Donn's son, Murrough, surrendered this house to Henry VIII. Henry, in turn, made Murrough the first Earl of Thomond and Baron Inchiquin.

What stands in ruin today includes the manor house built in 1648 by one of the more influential owners, Maire Rua O'Brien, or "Red Mary", known for her red hair.

The multi-gabled manor house was very modern for its time, as this style of house didn't come into vogue until nearly fifty years later.

The O'Brien's ruled most of Clare for several hundred years and occupied many of the biggest castles, such as Dromoland and Bunratty.

Maire Rua and her family had only a few peaceful years in Leamaneh Castle though. In January 1649 King Charles I was executed in London and Oliver Cromwell declared himself "Lord Protector". His first and most well known mission was to subdue Ireland and convert her Catholic heathens to his Puritanistic rule. In 1651, Lord Conor O'Brien was felled by Cromwell's army, thus beginning the downfall of North Clare's seat of leadership. Conor's and Maire's son, Donagh, was the last of the O'Brien's to occupy the house, having moved to another family home of Dromoland Castle in Newmarket-On-Fergus, which is south of Ennis. There were other occupants but the house finally fell into ruin at the end of the 18th century.

The finest of the fireplaces was moved off site to the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis, and in 1902 the main gateway was moved to Dromoland Castle.