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Oranmore Castle -
Oranmore |
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Oranmore Castle was built sometime round the fifteenth century possibly on
the site of an older castle. It was a stronghold of the Clanricardes who
were a prominent Norman family of Galway.
In 1641 Galway was under the overlordship of the Marquess and fifth Earl Clanricarde. In March 1642 the
town revolted and joined the Confederates with the Fort (St Augustin's)
still holding out.
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Clanricarde placed a strong garrison in Orannmore
Castle, from which he provisioned the Fort of Galway from the sea until
1643 when Captain Willoughby Governor of Galway surrendered both fort and
castle without the Marquess's consent. In 1651 the castle surrendered to
the Parliamentary forces.
All the Marquess's property
was of course forfeited but his successor, the 6th Earl, got
back most of it including the castle. In 1666 he leased the
castle to Walter Athy. Mary, Walter's daughter married
secondly Walter Blake of Drumacrina County Mayo, and her
descendants by that marriage, held Oranmore until 1853, when
the estates of Walter Blake were sold to the Encumbered
Estates Court.
The Blake family built the house against the south side of
the castle. This house was left in ruins when the Blake
family left Oranmore and the castle was unroofed until 1947
when it was bought by Lady Leslie, a cousin of Churchill and
wife of Sir Shane Leslie the writer.
Lady Leslie re-roofed the castle and gave it to her
daughter, Mrs Leslie King who is also well known as a writer
under the name of Anita Leslie. Between 1950 and 1960, Mrs
Leslie King and her husband, Cmdr Bill King (also a writer
who sailed solo around the world in 1933) added a two storey
wing joined to the castle by a single storey range. The
castle is now occupied by Leonie King, daughter of Anita
Leslie and Bill King, and her husband Alec Finn of De Danaan. |
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Castles
in County Galway |
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