Carrigaholt Castle
| Carrigaholt Castle Caisleán Charraig at Chabhaltaigh |
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 Carrigaholt Castle from the village |
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| Creation time : | around 1480 | |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg (Tower House) | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Standing position : | Irish nobility | |
| Construction: | Quarry stone | |
| Place: | Carrigaholt | |
| Geographical location | 52 ° 35 '2.4 " N , 9 ° 41' 49.6" W | |
| Height: | 12 m ASLTemplate: height / unknown reference | |
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Carrigaholt Castle ( Irish Caisleán Charraig an Chabhaltaigh ) is the ruin of a tower house in the fishing village of Carrigaholt in the west of County Clare, Ireland .
history
The McMahons ( Mac Mathghamhna ), rulers of the Corcabascin ( Corca Bhaiscinn ) peninsula , had the castle built around 1480. It comes at the end of the pier over the estuary of the Shannon and the fishing port. It is a well-preserved five-story tower house.
In September 1588, Tadhg Caech "the short-sighted" Mac Mathghamhna (Teige MacMahon) lived there. At that time, seven ships of the Spanish Armada were anchored in Carrigaholt. Although the McMahons refused to help the ships, the troops of Sir Conyers Clifford , then Governor of Connaught , besieged the castle shortly afterwards, albeit without success. The following year she was taken by the renegade 4th Earl of Thomond , Danagh O'Brien , after a four-day siege and, contrary to the surrender agreement , left all defenders hanging.
Then the castle fell to the Earl's brother, Donal O'Brien , who had many of the windows that are visible today built into the Tower House, as well as the open fireplace on the 5th floor, on which the year 1603 is carved. Donal O'Brien's grandson was the 3rd Viscount Clare , who resided at Carrigaholt Castle and set up an equestrian regiment for the English King James II from the House of Stuart , which was called "Yellow Dragons". After the Williamites forfeited their extensive lands of 230 km² to the crown, the Burton family acquired the castle. The Burton family were the last of its residents and left the castle in the late 19th century.
today
Today the Office of Public Works takes care of Carrigaholt Castle. Today only a shell is left.
