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
National Monument of Ireland
Official name: Furmina 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]

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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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