Period Property For Sale: Galway

Brackloon Castle, Clonfert, Co. Galway
A structurally restored early 16th century tower house of four stories and gallery requiring cosmetic completion

Brackloon derives its name from "Breac Cluain", the speckled meadow. Brackloon Castle is located close to the very ancient Clonfert Cathedral of Saint Brendan association. The castle is south from Clonfert crossroads on the road to Eyrecourt. Externally the Castle stands on approximately half an acre overlooking a stream and surrounding meadows. Nearby amenities include fishing, sailing and cruising on the Shannon, with the historical Clonmacnoise nearby, renowned as the burial place of the Kings of Connacht.

Entrance is through an iron grill and then the heavy oak door. Above the head is the original murder hole. To the left is a small guardroom and in front is the door to the ground floor store. It is presently unlit with natural light and the embrasure to the left was a small shot-hole to outside now covered but easily re-opened. The walls are six feet thick in this chamber.

The first floor above is accessed by the spiral stair and it will be noticed that the spiral stairs are unusually left-handed. This has the fireplace which was used for cooking. There is a small room adjoining which was probably a servants quarters. There is a very small passage in the east wall which was a garderobe.

The second floor has a fireplace in the south wall and part of the room is the vaulted roof of the floor below. This room has a surprising number of shot holes through the walls. These have had little removable windows fitted.

The third floor is the main room or hall. It is the largest room in the tower and is open to the medieval design new oak roof which was built without any metal usage and rests on stone corbels in the walls. There is a small minstrels gallery above and exits to each wall walk. The roof of the cap-house can be accessed by a ladder from the east wall walk.

The fireplace stone lintels were missing and have been replaced with Galway limestone made to medieval patterns.

The staircase was mostly broken and unusable when the building was purchased in 2001 by the present owner. It was restored by the masons of Ballinasloe using Galway limestone. The surviving steps which were very worn from centuries of use were covered with limestone tiles made to suit and faced up with lime mortar. The mortar used in the restoration was naturally hydraulic lime and sharp white limestone sand in various mixes to suit the application.

The stonework is completed as are the main floors, water, wc, electricity are installed but require completion as do windows, floor skirting, oak doors are made but several require fitting. General cosmetic work is required.

History

The castle was occupied in its earliest times and was probably built by the O'Madden family of hy-many. It is first mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters for the year 1557, a time when it was occupied by the uncontrollable O'Connors of Offaly. Queen Mary of Englands Lord Chief Justice Sydney was ordered to sail his army up the river Shannon and remove the O'Connors from the castles of Meelick and Brackloon. It was then re-occupied by the O'Maddens.

In the late 16th century Brackloon and several other O'Madden castles were attacked by de Burgo, the Earl of Clanrickard for failing to support him in one of his wars. The upper two floors are quite different to those below in terms of architecture and it is possible that this portion was re-built around 1600 or shortly after due to that attack. This conjecture is substantiated by the fact that the surviving chimneys are of early 17th century Jacobean style.

The O'Maddens were certainly in residence again when the castle was taken by Lieutenant General Ludlow in the Cromwellian wars and the castle confiscated. It was granted to John Eyre, another senior Cromwellian officer who afterwards resided in another O'Madden tower at nearby Eyrecourt. Eyre Square in Galway city was also named after him.

The O'Maddens were yet again in residence during the William III and James II wars but seem to have lost any hold on the locality or castles thereafter.

There was a gentleman centenarian who died recently who could remember the last occupants living in the castle in the 1920s. It seems that it was probably de-roofed after their time probably to save the cost of county rates.

Price: €299,000
Last update: 3rd April 2012
Contact: Helen Cassidy, Premier Properties Ireland
Tel.: +353 (0)94 954 6868
Mobile: +353 (0)87 2463748
Email: helencassidyauctioneers@eircom.net

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