Leamaneh Castle

Leamaneh Castle,Co Clare,Ireland

Originally a simple 5 storey tower house built around 1480 by Turlogh O'Brien,King of Thomond.
Leamaneh is derived from the irish "Leim an eich" or in English "The horse's leap".
In 1543 it was surrended to Henry VIII by Murrough O'Brien, Turloghs son.For his loyalty to English traditions,laws,customs and for pledging his allegiance to the royal crown and their church,he was made 1st Earl of Thomond and Baron Inchiquin.
The ruin we see today is the result of Conor O'Brien and his wife Mary McMahon extending the tower to a four storey manson in 1648.
Mary was also known as Mary Rua (Red Mary),and was a formidable character who features in many folklore tales.
Lord of Clonderlaw, Torloch Rua McMahon was her father.Daniel O'Neillan,of Dysert O'Dea castle in north Clare,was her first husband.He died young leaving his estate and wealth to his wife.She married Connor O'Brien in 1939,and her inheritance is what paid for the castle to be transformed into a magnificent 17th century mansion house.
Mary is said to still haunt the ruins to this day.
It is said that when her husband was mortally wounded,she declared she had no need for a dead man.
She put on her best dress and headed to Limerick.In a bid to keep her land and money,she offered to marry any willing cromwellian officer.She wed a Captain Cooper.It is said that a few days later,during an argument with Mary,she pushed him out of a third floor window.
According to legend,Mary is said to have married a total of twenty-five men.
After killing her last husband,she was captured by her enemies and sealed in a hollow tree.They say her flame haired ghost still haunts Leamaneh Castle to this day.
Donagh O'Brien,Red Marys son,was the last of the clan to live at the castle,before moving his family to the bigger Dromoland Castle.
The castle fell into ruin at the end of the 18th century.
The original Arched gateway was demolished in December 1908 and re-built at Dromoland Castle,which is where it still stands to this day.This was done on the orders Lucius William O'Brien,the 15th Baron of Inchiquin.There is an inscription on the arch stating it was built by Conor O'Brien and his wife Mary McMahon in 1643.
In a small room,off an upstairs dining room in the Old Ground Hotel,in Ennis,Co.Clare,can be found the best fireplace from Leamaneh Castle.

After living in Ennis for nearly 10years,I use to love driving aroung the Burren,and Leamaneh Castle is on the edge of the Burren.It is still an impressive ruin.For safety reasons you can not walk around the castle anymore,but I have walked around it and inside its four walls.Thats all that is left on the inside,just the four walls,but it is still very impressive and made me feel very small.Its definetly a solid building.I think I could feel the presence of the famous Red Mary.

Its well worth a visit.