Oranmore Castle | |
---|---|
Native name Irish: Caisleán Órán Mór | |
Type | tower house |
Location | Oranmore, County Galway, Ireland |
Coordinates | 53°16′5.72″N 8°56′6.25″W / 53.2682556°N 8.9350694°W |
Built | 15th century |
Owner | Leonie Finn [1] |
Oranmore Castle is a castle in Oranmore, County Galway, Ireland.
Oranmore Castle was most likely built some time around the 15th century, possibly on top of an older fortified house. [2] The Clanricardes, a notable family from Galway, used it as a stronghold. In March 1642 the town, Oranmore, joined Confederate Ireland in a rebellion, against which the owners of the castle, the Marquess and the fifth Earl Clanricarde, held out. [2] Clanricarde supplied the Fort of Galway from the sea until 1643, when, without the Marquess's sanction, Captain Willoughby Governor of Galway surrendered. [2] [3]
While ownership was temporarily lost, the 6th Earl regained possession, and in 1666 leased the castle to Walter Athy, whose descendants kept control of Oranmore until 1853. [2] It was then abandoned. [4]
The castle, which had fallen into disrepair, was reroofed after Anita Leslie purchased it in 1947 for £200. [5] [6] Her daughter Leonie inherited the castle upon Anita's death. Leonie and her husband, Irish folk musician Alec Finn (1944-2018) have lived there since. [7]
The castle, a rectangular towerhouse, has four storeys, a square staircase turret, and gunloops on the bottom floor. [8]
Oranmore Castle was featured in the 23 March 2001 episode of Scariest Places on Earth. [4] It was also used for the shooting of Alfred the Great, [9] as well as a film location for the Jack Taylor film The Pikeman. The exterior of Oranmore Castle is seen in the TV series Reign, as a French donjon.
Oranmore Castle | |
---|---|
Native name Irish: Caisleán Órán Mór | |
Type | tower house |
Location | Oranmore, County Galway, Ireland |
Coordinates | 53°16′5.72″N 8°56′6.25″W / 53.2682556°N 8.9350694°W |
Built | 15th century |
Owner | Leonie Finn [1] |
Oranmore Castle is a castle in Oranmore, County Galway, Ireland.
Oranmore Castle was most likely built some time around the 15th century, possibly on top of an older fortified house. [2] The Clanricardes, a notable family from Galway, used it as a stronghold. In March 1642 the town, Oranmore, joined Confederate Ireland in a rebellion, against which the owners of the castle, the Marquess and the fifth Earl Clanricarde, held out. [2] Clanricarde supplied the Fort of Galway from the sea until 1643, when, without the Marquess's sanction, Captain Willoughby Governor of Galway surrendered. [2] [3]
While ownership was temporarily lost, the 6th Earl regained possession, and in 1666 leased the castle to Walter Athy, whose descendants kept control of Oranmore until 1853. [2] It was then abandoned. [4]
The castle, which had fallen into disrepair, was reroofed after Anita Leslie purchased it in 1947 for £200. [5] [6] Her daughter Leonie inherited the castle upon Anita's death. Leonie and her husband, Irish folk musician Alec Finn (1944-2018) have lived there since. [7]
The castle, a rectangular towerhouse, has four storeys, a square staircase turret, and gunloops on the bottom floor. [8]
Oranmore Castle was featured in the 23 March 2001 episode of Scariest Places on Earth. [4] It was also used for the shooting of Alfred the Great, [9] as well as a film location for the Jack Taylor film The Pikeman. The exterior of Oranmore Castle is seen in the TV series Reign, as a French donjon.