This beautiful castle is situated between Ennis and Limerick and was constructed in the early 15th century on the site of older defensive strongholds. As early as 970ad the site was a Viking trading camp. In 1270ad Robert De Muscegros constructed a motte and bailey castle on the site. Shortly after this the lands were acquired by Thomas de Clare whose son Richard was killed in the defeat of the Normans at the battle of Dysart o Dea in 1318. After his death the victorious O’Brien chieftans destroyed the castle. Sir Thomas Rokeby rebuilt the castle in 1353 but it was attacked and extensively damaged by Irish chieftans shorty afterwards. The castle that occupies the site today was built by the MacNamara family around 1425. The held it until roughly 1465 when it was taken over and occupied by the O’Brien chieftans. Barnabas O’Brien, 6th Earl of Thomond, fled the castle forr England in 1646 during the Confederate wars and soon after this the castle and lands were granted to the Sutddert family who lived there until 1804. The castle is open to the public today

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