Cratloemoyle Castle,

Clare.

Documenting our Heritage

CRATLOEMOYLE CASTLE

The tower house is sometimes referred to simply as Cratloe castle although it is actually one of four Cratloe castles in the area attributed to the MacNamara clan.

The tower is five storeys high with three large halls over each other and rises to a height of about sixty five feet.  It was probably built early in the sixteenth century, though some claim a date of 1610 for its construction. It was thought to have been built by Sean, son of Donnchadh MacNamara who lived in the early seventeenth century, but this is unlikely as the castle is mentioned in many documents before his time. It is possible that some of the later building in the castle was carried out by him.

In 1570 the castle was owned by Sean, son of Tadhg MacConmara and later passed to the chiefs of MacConmara. A John MacNamara was the last of the main stem of the MacNamaras. He died without issue about 1780. He was probably the last occupant of Cratloe Moyle castle. The Cratloe Moyle estate was then purchased by George Quin of Quinsborough near Limerick and so the patrimonial lands passed totally out of MacNamara hands after nearly 700 years continuous possession.

Cratloe Moyle castle was purchased in 1973 by Bob Traynor, an Irish American. He later sold the surrounding land to Bearing Components Ltd. but retained ownership of the castle.