Ballyhannon Castle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ballyhannon Castle
Ballyhannon (Castlefergus) Castle
Location	3 km (1.9 mi) south west of Quin, County Clare, Ireland
Built	15th century
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Ballyhannon Castle is an old Irish castle from the 1400s. It is located near the village of Quin in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland. The castle is still in great shape. The Irish government protects it as a National Monument. This means it is very important for its history, design, and beauty.

The Story of Ballyhannon Castle

What's in a Name?

Ballyhannon Castle is also known as Castlefergus. This name probably comes from the nearby River Fergus. The castle stands close to Latoon Creek, which flows into the River Fergus. The older spelling, Ballyhannan, is still used for nearby areas. The name "Ballyhannon" means "O'Hannon's home." The O'Hannon family was important in this area long ago. However, their history is older than the castle itself. We don't find them mentioned much with the castle's story.

Who Built the Castle?

The MacNamara family built Ballyhannon Castle around 1490. Hugh and possibly Síoda, sons of Donnchadh MacNamara, were the builders. This time was called the "Golden Age of castle-building" in the area. This was because builders were very skilled back then.

Even though the MacNamaras lived here for centuries, the O'Briens also had a connection. The castle was on O'Brien land. In 1560, Queen Elizabeth I gave Ballyhannon Castle to Conor O'Brien. He was the Earl of Thomond. This meant the castle would pass to his male children. They also had to provide military service to the Queen.

In the late 1500s, Covea Riogh MacNamara owned Ballyhannon Castle. Some old records mistakenly said William Neylon owned it. This was just a mistake in copying the lists.

A Fireplace and Rebellions

An old fireplace inside the castle had the date "1576" carved on it. This was one of the oldest dated fireplaces in the county. Sadly, it can't be found in the castle today.

In 1586, Queen Elizabeth I pardoned Hugh MacNamara of Ballyhannon Castle. He had been part of a rebellion. He had to promise to behave well in the future. He also had to appear in local courts when asked.

By 1626, Ballyhannon Castle was rented out. Henry O'Brien, the 5th Earl of Thomond, rented it to Robert Hawksworth. Hawksworth was likely an English settler. Many English Protestants moved to Ireland during this time. They settled on lands owned by Irish Catholic families. This caused a lot of tension.

This tension led to the Irish Rebellion of 1641. Many Irish families took back their lands. The MacNamaras of Ballyhannon were among them. John Smith complained that the MacNamaras took his goods. After the rebellion, many Irish landowners lost their property. Mahone MacNamara of Ballyhannon lost his castle. It was given to Pierce Creagh and Barnabas O'Brien.

The Castle Through the Years

After the rebellion, the Cromwellian army tried to control Ireland. They often destroyed castles to make them useless. But Ballyhannon Castle was lucky. A drawing from 1675 shows it was still in good condition. It even had a roof. The drawing also shows a wall around the castle with a gate.

When King James II became king in 1685, things got better for Irish Catholics. Ballyhannon Castle was even suggested as a place to hold Protestant settlers. A letter from 1689 mentions using strong castles like Ballyhannon for this. Pierce Creagh, who had received part of the MacNamara's land, was one of those to be held.

In 1690, the castle was mentioned again. Thomas Hickman asked for his belongings to be moved from Ballyhannon Castle. He thought the castle would soon be used by soldiers.

Later History and Restoration

By 1787, maps showed the castle as both Ballyhannon and Castlefergus. In 1808, a writer noted the castle was "inhabited and lately white-washed!" There was also a Castlefergus House nearby, which is now gone.

By 1837, the castle was no longer lived in. It had probably been lived in for 350 years straight. By 1858, it was covered in ivy. It was described as a "fine old green-mantled tower."

In 1970, an American millionaire, Elizabeth Phillips, and her husband Henry D. Irwin, restored the castle. They called it "Ballyhannan Castle." Today, it is rented out to tourists. It has also hosted rock stars and film stars.

What the Castle Looks Like

In the early 1900s, Robert Twigge described the castle. It stands on a low rock. The tower is in great condition. It measures about 33.5 feet by 24 feet. The main door faces south. It has a small opening for defense and a "murder hole" above it. A staircase goes up inside the castle. There are four main floors under the stone roof. The basement has deep spaces. An old fireplace inside the castle had the date 1576, but this was added later.