Co. Kerry The O’Connor Kerry was a powerful sept in Munster. They were particularly strong in North Kerry and had the titles of Lords of Iraghticonnor and Lords of Tarbert. Iraghticonnor is still used as the name of a Barony in North Kerry. Carrickafoyle Castle, near Ballylongford, upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Carrigafoyle_Castle_Ireland.jpg Carrigafoyle was the stronghold of the O’Connor Kerry. It was built in 1490 by Conor Liath O Connor Kerry. It is made with limestone and stands in a strategic position on the edge of the Shannon Estuary, in an almost impenetrable position on what was originally an island. It is five storeys high. One of its interesting features is the wide spiral stairs of 104 steps which leads to the battlements. The location enabled the O’Connor Kerry to intercept ships as they passed along the river and to extract a ‘tax’ in the form of a portion of their cargo. The castle was a target for the Elizabethan forces and was finally breached by Sir William Pelham in 1580 when all of the occupants were massacred. You’re sure to feel a frisson as you visit this place. Is it an O’Connor ancestor reaching out to you or just a passing spider? discoverireland.ie/Arts-Culture-Heritage/carrigafoyle-castle/15653
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 14:18:16 +0000
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