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Location
Glenquin, County Limerick, Ireland
Description
Glenquin Castle is situated in countryside and woodland, 8 miles south of Newcastle West near the village of Killeedy in the west of Ireland.
Glenquin Castle is a square, crenellated, six storey limestone tower house built over four floors which has been partly repaired and re-roofed. On the top floor of the castle there are the remains of stilts which were used by archers responsible for the castle's defense and also two barrel vaulted rooms.
Facilities
Although the castle is under the ownership of the Office of Public works it is not currently open to the public.
History
The Irish name of Glenquin means Glen of Shelter, there is very little written about the history of the castle but it is thought to have been built in 1462 by the O'Hallinan clan on the site of an earlier building dating back to 983AD also belonging to them.
The castle was taken in battle many times. One of the major families to take it being the O'Brien's, they were said to have killed all but one of the O'Hallinan's during the battle. In turn it was taken from the O'Brien's during the Desmond wars by the Geraldine's also known as the Fitzgerald's. They were recorded there until 1571 when the English confiscated their lands and the lands of over 100 of their supporters.
It is recorded that parts of the castle were demolished by Sir Walter Raleigh and that in 1587 it was in the hands of the Hungerford's. In 1591 the castle was handed over to Sir William Courtenay and in 1595 to Captain Collum. The castles record's then stop until its restoration by the Earl of Devon in 1840.
During the uprising in 1916 Glenquin castle was used as West Limerick's rallying point for the troops and it wasn't until the 1980's that further restoration of the castle took place. Glenquin Castle is now under the care of the Office of Public Works as a national monument and they are in the process of repairing and restoring it.
The Arts
The castle's name has also been given to a racehorse from Croom owned and trained by A J McNamara
Other Castles in the Area
Adare Manor, County Limerick
Askeaton Castle, County Limerick
Ballyclogh Castle, County Cork
Carrigafoyle Castle, County Kerry
Desmond Castle, County Limerick
Dysert Castle, County Limerick
Glin Castle, County Limerick
Kanturk Castle, County Cork
Kilbolane Castle, County Cork
Liscarroll Castle, County Cork
Lisgriffin Castle, County Cork
Listowel Castle, County Kerry
Lohort Castle, County Cork
Matrix Castle, County Limerick
Shanid Castle, County Limerick
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