O'Brien's Castle (Inisheer)

O'Brien's Castle, also called Furmina Castle, is an early 15th century tower house and National Monument located on Inisheer, Ireland.[1][2][3][4]

O'Brien's Castle
Native name
Irish: Caisleán Uí Bhriain · Dún Formna
Furmina Castle, The Great Fort
Typetower house within ringfort
LocationInisheer,
County Galway, Ireland
Coordinates53.061999°N 9.519162°W / 53.061999; -9.519162
Builtc. 1400
OwnerState
Official nameFurmina Castle
Reference no.41.07
Location of O'Brien's Castle in Ireland

Location

O'Brien's Castle is located at one of the island's highest points, in the north of Inisheer.[5]

History

A ringfort once stood on the site, named Dún Formna ("hillfort of the ridge/shoulder", referring to the "shoulder" of land)[6] and dated to between the 5th century BC and 1st century AD.[7][8][9]

The castle was built by the Clann Teige, a branch of the powerful O'Brien (Uí Briain) family, in the early 15th century around 1400.[10] It was taken by the Ó Flaithbheartaigh (O'Flahertys) around 1582. It was captured and slighted by Oliver Cromwell's army in 1652, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.[11]

The castle in the Inisheer landscape

Building

The castle is a rectangular donjon (keep). The original doorway was into the first floor, accessed by an external wooden stairs.

The entire first floor was a great hall, with mural stairs up to the parapet. The ground floor was a basement or storage area with three vaulted chambers. The corbel of a bartizan is visible with a human face carved into it.[12]

References
  1. "Inisheer Island | Aran Islands West of Ireland Vacations". www.discoveringireland.com.
  2. Steves, Rick; O'Connor, Pat (29 May 2018). "Rick Steves Best of Ireland". Avalon Publishing – via Google Books.
  3. Vaughan-Thomas, Wynford; Hales, Michael (25 September 1980). "Secret landscapes: mysterious sites, deserted villages, and forgotten places of Great Britain and Ireland". Select Editions – via Google Books.
  4. "Country Life". 25 May 1969 – via Google Books.
  5. Badger, Edward W.; Hillhouse, William (25 September 1890). "The Midland Naturalist: The Journal of the "Midland Union of Natural History Sciences" with which is Incorporated the Entire Transaction of the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society". Hardwicke and Bogue – via Google Books.
  6. "eDIL – Irish Language Dictionary". www.dil.ie.
  7. Spellissy, Sean (1 January 1999). "The history of Galway". Celtic Bookshop – via Google Books.
  8. "The Mystery of the Aran Islands- Dún Formna". aran-islands-tsunami-shelters.com.
  9. "O'Brien's Castle | Inisheer, Ireland Inisheer". www.lonelyplanet.com.
  10. Murray (publishers), John (25 September 1866). "Handbook for travellers in Ireland" – via Google Books.
  11. "OBriens Castle – Doolin Ferry – Aran Island Ferries – BOOK NOW".
  12. "An Caisleán / O'Briens Castle » Rothaí Inis Oírr – Inisheer Bike Hire".
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