House

A large mansion known as ‘caisléan caoimh gheal’ or ‘white castle’ was built on to the earlier tower house (CL033-085001-) at Clonroad, Ennis, between 1551 and 1558. The castle was besieged in 1600 and there is a record of the ‘great ould house’ being covered with slate or shingle in 1658. A sketch by Thomas Dineley in 1681 shows a large residence with a tower house, a six-bay mansion and a bawn surrounded by a curtain wall with an arched opening defended by a machicolation. Two adjacent bridges across the river (CL033-085003- and CL033-085004-) are also clearly visible in the sketch. A brewery and ‘Clonroad House’ were built on part of the site in the 19th century. (Ó Dálaigh 2012, 15) Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 23 April 2014