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Caislean na Circe -
Clonbur |
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Caislean-na-Circe located on
Lough Corrib between Maam and Doon, free from islands except
for the rock on which the ancient Hen's Castle of the
O'Connor's and the
O'Flaherty's stands. The castle was home
of the great pirate Queen of Connemara, Grace O`Malley, who
lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth 1 of England. The Lord
Justice, in 1225, caused Odo O'Flatherty to give up Kirk
Castle to Odo O'Connor, King of Connaught; for assurance of
his fidelity. |
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Caislean na Circe (built in a
night by a cock and a hen according to legend) is one of the
oldest mortared castles in Ireland. This Norman keep, placed
in the direction of the cardinal compass points, was built
early in the 12th Century by the sons of Roderick O'Connor,
last High-King of Ireland, aided by their then ally, William
Fitz-Adelm, the first de Burgo (later
Burke). This castle
which occupies almost the entire island had a troubled
history, being stormed and besieged many times, not the
least of which was the celebrated occasion when Grainne
Mhaol (Grace O'Malley) personally defended it. It continued
to be occupied as a castle until it finally succumbed to the
Cromwellian soldiers in 1654.
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Castle of the Hen is
considered to be the oldest fortress of its kind in Ireland,
and it is undoubtedly one of the best built. When first
built and well-defended, with good food stores, this castle
must have been impregnable. The rocks slope abruptly into
the water on all sides. It is only accessible in a few
places. The castle is steeped in history and legend. |
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One such mythical tradition
suggests that the
O'Flaherty's, Gaelic Lords of Connemara,
realizing the difficulties of building a large Castle in
such a place, hired a witch to build it using magic. In a
day and a night of casting spells she succeeded in creating
the castle. She left a magic hen to look after it, warning
that as long as the hen was looked after, the castle would
remain secure. Everything went well until severe weather
conditions made life difficult and they were forced to use
up food stores, as it was impossible to go to the mainland
for fresh supplies. With empty bellies, they felt there was
not any choice other than to eat the hen. Shortly after
this, the Norman knight, de Burgo, laid siege to the castle.
The garrison was starved out and the castle demolished.
History states that in Elizabethan times there was a policy
of 'Divide and Conquer', which was used effectively
throughout the sixteenth century.
It weakened Gaelic power and the peace of Connaught was
broken, as it meant the return of inter-tribal warfare, each
sept attempting to take advantage of the situation.
Granuaile's husband, Donal-an-Chogaidh, Tániste-elect to the
Chieftain, had much to lose as the fight for power erupted
among the O'Flaherty Septs. The old customs were under
threat. Donal-an-Chogaidh died at the hands of his old
enemies, the Joyces, in an attack on Kirk Castle. On account
of his courage at defending the castle, they nicknamed him "Donal
An Cullagh, (The Cock). The Joyces descended on "Cocks
Castle", they thought it would be a 'pushover' but they had
not bargained on Granuaille who, with her husband's
clansmen, defended the castle with skill and bravery -- so
much so that the castle was renamed 'Hen's Castle', (Caislean-na-Circa),
the name it has to this day.
In the nineteenth Century this historic ruin was vandalized
and hundreds of its stones were removed to build houses in
the area. The interior of the Keep is now a mass of stones
and weeds, but it is still a very impressive sight. It is
not too hard to visualize what this Castle must have looked
like hundreds of years ago.
See more
Castles
in County Galway
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