Glenquin Castle

Coordinates: 52°23′02″N 9°06′24″W / 52.383931°N 9.106752°W / 52.383931; -9.106752
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Glenquin Castle
Native name
Irish: Caisleán Ghleann an Choim
TypeTower house
LocationKilleedy, County Limerick, Ireland
Coordinates52°23′02″N 9°06′24″W / 52.383931°N 9.106752°W / 52.383931; -9.106752
Built1462
Official nameGlenquin Castle
Reference no.268
Glenquin Castle is located in Ireland
Glenquin Castle
Location of Glenquin Castle in Ireland

Glenquin Castle is a tower house and National Monument located in County Limerick, Ireland.[1][2][3]

Location[edit]

Glenquin Castle is located 2.4 km (1.5 mi) west of Killeedy, on the north side of the R515 road.[4]

History[edit]

The tower house was built in 1462 by the Ó hAilgheanáin (O'Hallinans), on the site of an older building dating back to AD 983. It was taken by the Uí Briain (O'Briens), and during the Desmond Rebellions (1569) it fell to the Geraldines until the Crown confiscated their lands in 1571. The castle was partly demolished by Walter Raleigh. By 1587 it was in the hands of the Hungerford; in 1591 it went to Sir William Courtenay, and in 1595 to a Captain Collum.[5]

It was restored by William Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon in 1840.[6]

At the 1916 Easter Rising, 300 Irish Volunteers assembled at Glenquin Castle, but they did not take any military action.[7][8][9]

It was restored again in the 1980s and is under the care of the Office of Public Works.[citation needed]

Castle[edit]

The castle is a square, crenellated, six storey limestone tower house. On the top floor of there are the remains of stilts used by archers. There are also two barrel vaulted rooms.[5]

In song[edit]

A song "O Castle of Glenquin" praises the castle and its history.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Greenwood, Margaret; Connolly, Mark; Wallis, Geoff (1 January 2003). Ireland. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781843530596. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Glenquin Castle". Discover Ireland. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  3. ^ "The Schools' Collection » Raheenagh (C.), Ráthluirc". duchas.ie. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  4. ^ "History of Killeedy". limerickdioceseheritage.org. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Irish Castles - Glenquin Castle". britainirelandcastles.com. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Faccombe to Myton-upon-Swale". 1 January 1868. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "1916 legacy remembered and renewed at Glenquin Castle". Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  8. ^ O'Donnell, Ruan (1 January 2009). Limerick's Fighting Story 1916-21: Told by the Men Who Made It. Mercier Press Ltd. ISBN 9781856356428. Retrieved 31 March 2017 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "History to be relived at Limerick castle". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  10. ^ "The Story of Limerick and Kerry in 1916" (PDF). Capuchin Annual. 1966. pp. 327–370. ISBN 9780993537707. OCLC 956531367.