Towards the end of our first day’s hiking in Co Clare, we came down off the tops and walked along a quiet country lane into Ballyvaughan, and came across this strange looking building…
It was built c.1550 AD for the O’Brien clan, but just over a century later, it became the property of the O’Loughlins, who were the most powerful family in the region at the time. According to a census in 1839, there was still an O’Loughlin living there; his name was Charles, and he was known as ‘King of the Burren‘. Shortly after this, the castle and lands were sold to Colonel Henry White, but by the end of the C19th, the O’Loughlins had moved back in.
The castle then lay derelict for some time, until it was restored in 1993 for the Burren College of Art. They open the castle every day to tourists, but it had already closed by the time we arrived, so we didn’t get to go inside. Shame, because they had quite a nice-looking coffee shop, and we were quite desperate by this time! What a great place to study art, though.
The castle has four levels; the ground floor where originally, food was stored… the 12ft thick walls and lack of windows were conducive to good storage conditions; the first floor, which has four narrow windows with gun loops for defence; the second floor with three gun loops and a door, which required a 30ft ladder to reach the ground, and the third floor which housed the great hall. It was here, probably, that the King of the Burren lived with his family.
This image of an Irish tower house interior has very kindly been loaned by artist and historian JG O’Donoghoe. JG is an established illustrator who creates archaeological interpretative/reconstruction illustration and concept art.
Click on the image or visit his blog, Líníocht Blog, to see more of his amazing and fascinating work. You can also follow him on Facebook.
This illustration is based on Kilcrea Castle in Cork. It shows how the ground floor was used as a cellar; the first floor for servant’s and other staff sleeping arrangements; the second floor in this case was used as a kitchen, although the artist thinks that most kitchens were more likely to have been external; the third floor was the Lord’s bedchamber, and the top floor was used as his dining hall. In particular, I found his thoughts on garderobes (the toilets) quite intriguing. Thanks, JG, for letting me use your amazing artwork on my blog!
The O’Loughlins were a very powerful family who retained their hold on the Burren until the invasion of Cromwell in 1649AD. The name derives from a chieftain named Lochlain who died in 953AD. Originally part of the O’Connor clan, two brothers left and formed their own clan, calling themselves the O’Loughlins. Whether this was amicable or not, I have no idea. Bearing in mind the war-like ways of the ancient Irish, I assume not.
The origins of the O’Loughlins and the O’Connors are thought to extend way back into mythological times; it is said they were descended from a man named Corc, who was one of the triplet sons born to the great Queen Medb of Connacht, and her lover Fergus mac Roigh. Who knew? I love how all these ancient families share mythological connections, even if it does get confusing at times.
Here’s a lovely quote for you; one of Cromwell’s generals is said to have complained of the Burren, ‘It has no tree to hang a man, no water to drown him and no soil to bury him.’ Hmmm… nice.
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