Bunratty Castle

Bunratty CastleBunratty Castle is a large 15th-century tower house in County Clare and a National Monument of Ireland.

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Found Kodachrome Slide -- Bunratty Castle, County Clare, Ireland date stamped on slide August 1968

Bunratty Castle Edited through mulitple processes.

Found Kodachrome Slide -- Bunratty Castle, County Clare, Ireland

Bunratty Castle, seen from across the street, Bunratty, County Clare, Ireland

Some background information:

Bunratty Castle is a former Irish stronghold in the village of Bunratty in the south of the Irish County Clare. It is located by the N18 road between Limerick and Ennis, near Shannon Town and its airport. The castle, which is run by Shannon Heritage, is in very good preservation and hence, a major Irish tourist attraction. Right opposite the castle, there’s also a shopping mall, where all is sold that the tourist heart can desire. The name of the castle means "mouth of the Ratty River", because the Ratty River flows past the building before it issues into the nearby Shannon estuary just a few hundred metres further to the south.

The first recorded settlement at the site may have been a Norsemen trading camp reported in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. However, in 977, this camp was destroyed by Brian Boru, at that time the High King of Ireland. According to local tradition, it was located on a rise southwest of the current castle, but its exact location is unknown.

Around 1250, King Henry III of England granted the district of Tradree to Robert De Muscegros, who in 1251 cut down around 200 trees in the King's wood at Cratloe. These trees may have been used to construct a motte and bailey castle, which would have been the first castle at Bunratty, but again its exact position is unknown. In 1253, de Muscegros was granted the right to hold markets and an annual fair at Bunratty. It has thus been assumed that the site was the centre of early Norman control in south-eastern Clare.

In 1276, the English King Henry III handed the lands of Bunratty over to the Anglo-Norman nobleman Thomas De Clare and it was him, who built the first stone castle on the site. This castle was occupied from 1278 to 1318 and consisted of a large single stone tower with lime white walls. It stood close to the river, on or near the spot of the present Bunratty Castle.

The castle was attacked several times by the O'Briens, a noble family of Munster, and their allies. In 1284, while De Clare was away in England, the site was captured and destroyed. On his return, in 1287, De Clare had the structure rebuilt and a 130 metres (140 yards) long fosse excavated around it. In 1318, a major battle was fought at Dysert O'Dea as part of the Irish Bruce Wars, in which Richard de Clare was killed. Lady De Clare, after having heard about this, burned down the castle and fled from Bunratty to Limerick. The De Clare family never returned to the area and the remains of the castle eventually collapsed.

In the 14th century, Limerick was an important port for the English Crown. To guard access via the Shannon estuary against attacks from the Irish, the site was once again occupied. In 1353, Sir Thomas de Rokeby led an English army to conquer the Irish MacNamara and MacCarthy clans. Another castle was built at Bunratty, but the new stronghold was hardly finished before it was already captured and destroyed by the Irish.

The present structure, which is the fourth castle at Bunratty, was built by the MacNamara family around 1425. At around 1500, Bunratty Castle came into the hands of the O'Briens, the later Earls of Thomond, at that time the most powerful clan in Munster. They expanded the site and eventually made it their chief seat, moving it there from Ennis.

In 1558, the castle, now noted as one of the principal strongholds of Thomond, was taken by Thomas Radclyffe, the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland from Donal O'Brien of Duagh, last King of Thomond, and given to Donal's nephew, Connor O'Brien. In 1646, during the Confederate Wars, Lord Forbes, commander of the forces of the English Long Parliament, was allowed by the then Lord Barnabas O'Brien to occupy Bunratty.

Barnabas did not want to commit to either side in the struggle, playing off royalists, rebels and roundheads against each other. He left for England, where he joined King Charles. In the meantime, the defence of the castle, whose position allowed those holding it to blockade maritime access to Limerick and the river Shannon, was in the hands of Rear-Admiral Penn, the father of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. After a long siege, the Confederates took the castle and Penn surrendered. However, he was allowed to sail away to Kinsale.

Bunratty Castle remained property of the O'Briens and in the 1680s the castle was still the principal seat of the Earls of Thomond. In 1712, Henry, the 8th and last Earl of Thomond, sold Bunratty Castle to Thomas Amory, who in turn sold the castle to Thomas Studdert. In 1804, the Studdert family left the castle to reside in the more comfortable and modern adjacent Bunratty House.

The castle fell into disrepair and in the mid-19th century, it was used as a barracks by the Royal Irish Constabulary. In 1894, Bunratty was once again used by the Studdert family, as the seat of Captain Richard Studdert. In 1956, the castle was purchased and restored by the 7th Viscount Gort, with assistance from the Office of Public Works. He reroofed the building and saved it from ruin. In 1960, it was opened to the public and can be visited since then.

Resistance is duty Bunratty Castle, seen from across the street, Bunratty, County Clare, Ireland Some background information: Bunratty Castle is a former Irish stronghold in the village of Bunratty in the south of the Irish County Clare. It is located by the N18 road between Limerick and Ennis, near Shannon Town and its airport. The castle, which is run by Shannon Heritage, is in very good preservation and hence, a major Irish tourist attraction. Right opposite the castle, there’s also a shopping mall, where all is sold that the tourist heart can desire. The name of the castle means "mouth of the Ratty River", because the Ratty River flows past the building before it issues into the nearby Shannon estuary just a few hundred metres further to the south. The first recorded settlement at the site may have been a Norsemen trading camp reported in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. However, in 977, this camp was destroyed by Brian Boru, at that time the High King of Ireland. According to local tradition, it was located on a rise southwest of the current castle, but its exact location is unknown. Around 1250, King Henry III of England granted the district of Tradree to Robert De Muscegros, who in 1251 cut down around 200 trees in the King's wood at Cratloe. These trees may have been used to construct a motte and bailey castle, which would have been the first castle at Bunratty, but again its exact position is unknown. In 1253, de Muscegros was granted the right to hold markets and an annual fair at Bunratty. It has thus been assumed that the site was the centre of early Norman control in south-eastern Clare. In 1276, the English King Henry III handed the lands of Bunratty over to the Anglo-Norman nobleman Thomas De Clare and it was him, who built the first stone castle on the site. This castle was occupied from 1278 to 1318 and consisted of a large single stone tower with lime white walls. It stood close to the river, on or near the spot of the present Bunratty Castle. The castle was attacked several times by the O'Briens, a noble family of Munster, and their allies. In 1284, while De Clare was away in England, the site was captured and destroyed. On his return, in 1287, De Clare had the structure rebuilt and a 130 metres (140 yards) long fosse excavated around it. In 1318, a major battle was fought at Dysert O'Dea as part of the Irish Bruce Wars, in which Richard de Clare was killed. Lady De Clare, after having heard about this, burned down the castle and fled from Bunratty to Limerick. The De Clare family never returned to the area and the remains of the castle eventually collapsed. In the 14th century, Limerick was an important port for the English Crown. To guard access via the Shannon estuary against attacks from the Irish, the site was once again occupied. In 1353, Sir Thomas de Rokeby led an English army to conquer the Irish MacNamara and MacCarthy clans. Another castle was built at Bunratty, but the new stronghold was hardly finished before it was already captured and destroyed by the Irish. The present structure, which is the fourth castle at Bunratty, was built by the MacNamara family around 1425. At around 1500, Bunratty Castle came into the hands of the O'Briens, the later Earls of Thomond, at that time the most powerful clan in Munster. They expanded the site and eventually made it their chief seat, moving it there from Ennis. In 1558, the castle, now noted as one of the principal strongholds of Thomond, was taken by Thomas Radclyffe, the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland from Donal O'Brien of Duagh, last King of Thomond, and given to Donal's nephew, Connor O'Brien. In 1646, during the Confederate Wars, Lord Forbes, commander of the forces of the English Long Parliament, was allowed by the then Lord Barnabas O'Brien to occupy Bunratty. Barnabas did not want to commit to either side in the struggle, playing off royalists, rebels and roundheads against each other. He left for England, where he joined King Charles. In the meantime, the defence of the castle, whose position allowed those holding it to blockade maritime access to Limerick and the river Shannon, was in the hands of Rear-Admiral Penn, the father of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. After a long siege, the Confederates took the castle and Penn surrendered. However, he was allowed to sail away to Kinsale. Bunratty Castle remained property of the O'Briens and in the 1680s the castle was still the principal seat of the Earls of Thomond. In 1712, Henry, the 8th and last Earl of Thomond, sold Bunratty Castle to Thomas Amory, who in turn sold the castle to Thomas Studdert. In 1804, the Studdert family left the castle to reside in the more comfortable and modern adjacent Bunratty House. The castle fell into disrepair and in the mid-19th century, it was used as a barracks by the Royal Irish Constabulary. In 1894, Bunratty was once again used by the Studdert family, as the seat of Captain Richard Studdert. In 1956, the castle was purchased and restored by the 7th Viscount Gort, with assistance from the Office of Public Works. He reroofed the building and saved it from ruin. In 1960, it was opened to the public and can be visited since then.

Bunratty Castle

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IMG_0957 I could deal with this bedroom (just not the stairs...)

The Acitator At first I thought it said "Agitator" which I think would have been much more appropriate!

Bunratty30-23 The sluice we closed, then opened

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Girls on this side A replica of a school house in the Folk Park, separated for girls and boys.

Bunratty Castle, Bunratty, Ireland Bunratty Castle, Bunratty, Ireland

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Bunratty Castle