School: Stonehall, Cora Caitlín
- Location:
- Stonehall, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Páidraig Mac Cormaic
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0599, Page 329
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- Bunratty Castle figures in the history of Thomond from the coming of the Danes to the Anglo-Irish War, and it's 'story' has been written by many historians. The ghost of Julianna De Clare is supposed to haunt the castle. She it was who persuaded her husband to murder Brian Rua OBrien, King of Thomond. Her son, Richard, captured De Burgo of Connaught after the latter had made an unsuccessful attack upon the stronghold. One moonlight night De Burgo looking from his dungeon window saw six Normans carrying a coffin through the courtyard. They laid the coffin down in the centre of the courtyard and took off the lid. De Burgo saw a headless corpse: the body of the murdered Brian Rua. Looking back in horror he saw the figure of the dead Julianna beckoning him to follow her. She told him that Richard, her son had planned for him the death that his father had meeled [?] out to Brian. The ghost led him in safety through the sleeping guards and he made his way back to Connaught.A man who would not believe that Bunratty was haunted went one night to the Castle. As he walked from room to room he was followed by two Norman Knights. At(continues on next page)
