Shanmuckinish Castle

On a narrow (c. 60m) isthmus of land connecting the SW end of Illaunmuckinish island with the mainland, dividing Muckinish Bay to the E from the estuary running into Ballyvaughan Bay to the W and overlooked by a moderately steep-sided rise of bare rock and improved pasture to the S. Indicated and named ‘Shanmuckinish Castle’ on the 1842 and 1915 eds. of the OS 6-inch maps.

According to Westropp (1895, 280), the tower house is likely to date to the 15th century and was known locally as Shanmuckinish castle to differentiate it from Muckinishnua, another local castle said to have been built three years later. In 1574, it was owned by the O’Loughlins, but in 1584, Turlough O’Loughlin was taken prisoner by Donal O’Brien of Ennistymon and later executed in Ennis. The lands of Muckinish were granted to Valentine Blake by James I in 1622 and while the Blakes seem to have maintained some form of ownership for much of the succeeding 200 years, possession of the castle passed variously between the O’Loughlins, Blakes, Neylons, MacNamaras and perhaps also a John Tully during the 17th century (Ua Cróinín and Breen 2008). During the time it was in the possession of the MacNamaras it was known as Ballinacragga Castle, after their former home in South Clare (ibid.). In 1836 the castle was purchased from the Blakes by a Captain Kirwan, who carried out extensive refurbishments (ibid.). The north side of the castle collapsed in 1890 (ibid.).

A four-storey rectangular tower house located along the N wall of a bawn (CL003-002002-). The N side of the tower house has collapsed into the sea and the SE foundation appears to be shifting (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1996). The remaining portion (ext. dims. 9.3m E–W x 8.4m N–S; int. dims. 4.9m E–W x 3m N–S) survives to almost full height to the S (H 7.8m) and along parts of the E (H 6.6m) and W walls (6m). It is built on a very steep batter (projecting 1m from 1.7m down) constructed of mortared rubble limestone, with finely cut limestone used for quoins and around features.

The ground floor contains an E–W internal wall through which a lintelled doorway (Wth 1.1m; H 1.5m) gives access. It is lit by three narrow-looped windows set in deep rectangular embrasures (int. Wth 2.1–2.4m; D 0.85–0.95m) in the base batter of the E, S and W walls, and an angle loop in the NE corner. A narrow alcove in the corner of the N and E walls is roofed by the remains of the stair tower. Corbels and beam slots mark the locations of the upper floors and partial vaults on a N–S axis survive over the first and second floors. The first floor is also accessed by a doorway in the internal cross-wall (facilitated by an overgrown mound of rubble) and is lit by a narrow-looped window set in a rectangular embrasure in the S wall. The second floor is lit by a rectangular window in the E wall and a narrow slit in the S wall. The jamb of a 17th-century fireplace can be seen at this level. The third floor is lit by a later three-light mullioned and transomed window with external hood-moulding in the S wall and rectangular window in the W wall. Intramural chambers or passages are visible in the collapsed section of the east wall, above the first- and second-floor vaults. Dressed corbels support a parapet/wall-walk incorporating two machicolations, one in the centre of the S wall and the other along the full surviving extent of the E wall. Rendering survives on almost all interior walls (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1996).