Doonbeg Castle

This is an Irish tower castle from 16th century. It overlooks the Doonbeg River which flows into the bay of Dunmore on the Atlantic Irish coast.

The castle is about seventy feet high. A spiral staircase which leads to the top commands a great view. Two families of Country Clare are related to this tower house - the clan MacMahon and the clan O'Brien.

The genealogy of clan MacMahon and the O'Brein family shows that they have a common Irish ancestor - Mahon, son of Murtagh Mor who was a grandson of Brian Boru. Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, descended from Cennedig of the royal clans of Munster.

Dun Beag - the small fort

Doonbeg Castle was originally built for Daniel O'Brien, the Earl of Thomond. Turlough MacMahon of West Clare took Doonbeg in 1585. Some 10 years later, 1595, O'Brien reclaimed Doonbeg...

The Annals of the Four Masters records: M1595.21
Turlough, the son of Brian, son of Donough, son of Donough Bacagh Mac Mahon, Lord of West Corca-Bhaiscinn, a man of great fame and character throughout Ireland, considering his patrimony, for he had but one cantred, passed; and his son, Teige Caech, took his place.

Tadhg (Teige - the one eyed Lord) rebelled against the English and their supporters. The Earl of Thomond sent his brother, Henry O’Brien, to talk reason with his relative. But Teige was gone and Henry took up with his daughter. When he finally returned several weeks later there was a battle but Henry escaped. Queen Elizabeth at this time declared McMahon a rebel and granted his entire estate to Daniel O'Brien, which included Doonbeg.

In 1619 Daniel O'Brien gave Doonbeg Castle to James Comyn. The Crown took possession of it in 1688 and it was sold in 1703.

By the late 1800's the Castle of Doonbeg had fallen into disrepair, like so many other Irish castles. Several local families lived on the different floors of Doonbeg Castle until the 1930's.

"You have heard in song and story of the beauties of all lands,
Of their hills and dales and mountains,
and their rivers, lakes and strands,
But of all those wondrous places you can read of, hear and see,
There are none of them to rival Old Doonbeg by the sea."