A view of Clonea Castle with the Nunnery (Nursing Home) to the left of the picture and decades later without the Castle. Clonea Castle This was the familiar landscape from Clonea Strand for many years until the Castle’s complete destruction by storms in 1990. The structure was a three story, square tower believed to have been built by the McGuire family. The residence next to the Castle was also owned by the same family. It was rumored locally that a member of the McGuire household built the Castle believing the soothing sound of the waves would cure their insomnia. In 1851 Clonea Castle was being leased by Charles Farren, MD, from Rev. Walter McGuire, when it was valued at £20 . (Landed Estates Database c1700-1914). Many buildings in the Parish that were prominent features of the landscape were sadly allowed to fall in to irretrievable disrepair including McGraths Castle, Abbeyside. A number of big houses in the Parish including the ‘Hermitage’ and ‘Ballincourty House’ as recently as the 1990’s were demolished as a result of neglect and to make way for the developing property boom. The following is a written reply to a question by Mr J Fahey requesting preservation work to be carried out to Clonea Castle to the Minister of Finance, Mr J Bruton, Tuesday, 16 December 1986. “I am aware of the condition of the structure, however Clonea Castle is not a national monument in State care and consequently the Commissioner of Public Works has no plans to undertake conservation to it”.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 20:09:50 +0000
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