Doonagore Castle in ruins — Doonnagore

On a natural rise in hilly pastureland, situated midway along the SE wall of a bawn (CL008-087002-). Overlooked by higher ground to S and SE, but otherwise commanding a panoramic view. Named ‘Doonnagore Castle (in Ruins)’ on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Probably built by the O’Connors in the 14th/15th century, by 1570 the castle was under the ownership of Sir Donnel O’Brien. In 1582 Brian MacCahill O’Connor was recorded as the owner, suggesting that perhaps the O’Connors were still living there under the O’Briens (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1997). Toward the end of that century the castle became a possession and residence of the MacClancy family, brehons of the O’Briens of Thomond. Local tradition holds that Boetius MacClancy tried and sentenced to death many survivors of the Spanish Armada at the castle (ibid.). In 1601 the O’Connors were again recorded in connection with Doonnagore, but it appears that the MacClancys held the castle until the 1641 rebellion, after which it was taken from them. The castle passed to John Sarsfield. By 1719 Francis Gore owned Doonnagore and subsequently granted it John Vandeleur of Kilrush (ibid.). The OS Letters of 1839 recorded that the castle had been ’lately repaired by Counsellor Gore’. This well-preserved but restored four-floored cylindrical tower house (diam. 8.9m) was described by Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997) as very well built of random-coursed local flagstones. The new pointed arched entrance doorway was at NE, over which was a machicoulis supported by two corbels. Inside, stairs ascended to SE within the thickness of the tower wall (Wth almost 2m). On the ground floor (int. diam. 4m) there was a squared and splayed loop embrasure at SW. Two large aumbrys at W and NW may once have been loop embrasures according to Westropp (1899-1901, 355). Under this floor there had been a small round cellar (diam. 3m) but this was filled and covered by the time of by Ua Cróinín and Breen’s (1997) visit. The ceiling was of oak, supported by joists. The small circular first-floor room had a stone-vaulted dome ceiling with four lintelled embrasures: those at SW and NE containing a square window, that at W a narrow loop, and that at N a shot-hole with little aumbrys on either side. The second-floor room had an oak ceiling supported by corbels in the wall. There was a small fireplace with a segmented lintel above, and three loop embrasures with ogee heads, at W, N and E. There were two aumbrys, at S and NW. To S of the W embrasure was a slop-stone in a small aumbry, emptying into a garderobe shaft. To W of the N embrasure a staircase descended to a small lock-up chamber with a tiny loop, which could be bolted from within in case of attack. A similar chamber was located to S of the E embrasure, and also reached by descending a staircase; however, this chamber was bolted from the outside and may have been a prison cell of sorts. The circular third-floor room had an elaborate conical oak roof with central king-post. The entrance door under a stone lintel was fitted with a curved oak door to fit the doorway shape. There was a vaulted embrasure at NE with a double-light cusped ogee-headed window. To the left of the embrasure was a narrow door, opening to a steep intramural staircase which led up to the wallwalk on the conical roof, ringed with high crenellations. At the SE of the third-floor room was a garderobe chamber (now fitted with a modern toilet). The garderobe shaft emptied on the E side of the tower, through a large opening at first-floor level which contained four stone lugs, perhaps for wooden shutters to close it when danger threatened. On the S side of the third-floor room was a wide embrasure with a double-light cusped ogee-headed window. To W was an embrasure with a single ogee-headed loop. To NW was a double over-and-under ambry with a stone shelf between, and to N was a wide embrasure, now with a large triple-light window with three elliptical heads. The following items have been uploaded: CL008-087001-_01.pdf Details from Risteárd Ua Cróinín and Martin Breen, The Castles and Tower-houses of Co. Clare (unpublished report). Uploaded courtesy of R. Ua Cróinín and M. Breen. CL008-087----_01.jpg View of tower house and bawn wall from SE. CL008-087----_02.jpg View from S. CL008-087----_03.jpg Interior of N bawn wall. CL008-087----_04.jpg Pointed doorway at N with window above. CL008-087----_05.jpg General view from SE CL008-087----_06.jpg Upper floors from N Date of upload: 3 December 2014 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 1/1972). Westropp, T.J. 1899-1901 Notes on the lesser castles or "Peel Towers" of the County Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 21, 348-65.