The rich people would not give them some of their land in which they could sow an acres or so of potatoes. The poor formed a society called the Terryalts. The members used to get their spades and go out at night and dig up a large field here and there so that it would be useless for grazing. The owner would then have to set it to the poor. This was called macground. This happened one time in Bunratty. The year before the famine people from Kilkishen took macground in Bunratty. They sowed potatoes and had most wonderful crops. The poor people lived so far from Bunratty that they could only bring home a portion of their potatoes. The piled the other portion against the sides of the walls and left them there. The

On the Studdert Estate at Bunratty is the ruined of an old homestead on the boundary between Bunratty and Corlackwhen this house was building many many years ago, an unknown woman visited the workmen, and asked them not to build there, or at least to remove the foundation a few inches to other side of the boundary. They said it could not possibly be done, and continued the work

090to be surrendered on a years warning if my Lord or his Sonne comes to Settle there." but neither my Lord or his son Henry, the 7th earl nor any of his race ever occupied Bunratty again.A lease of "Bunratty Castle "for 99 years was granted by the 8th earl and last to one Robert Amory in 1709, and in 1712, the Commissioners acting under parliament specially passed to enable the earl to give leases for ever - contracted with Thomas Amory ,Esq. for a fe -farm grant of same.By a deed dated Sept 26 the of that year, for a consideration of £225, and a rent of £120 per annum ,a lease for ever to Thomas Amory was perfected of the "Castle, farm and lands of Bunratty about 472 acres ," with free ingress, egress and regress for a coach or cart thro' the Park - Bunratty to Sixmilebridge .There is always something very

085Mac Conmara (probably Lochlann, son of Maconn 1366) to submit to him and rebuilt the Castle of Bunratty".The fact recorded in 1353 of the execution by fire at Bunratty of two men of the clan Cuilein for blasphemy, also proves that the English were at this date back again in Tradaree, which they could not possibly hold without a fortress of some kind. No Castle of Bunratty meant no settlement in Tradaree. But it is certain that the de Rokebys castle was hardly built, before it was taken by the Irish, probably by the forces of King Murtoug assisted by the forces of Clan-Cuileen or by the latter alone.From this period on until 1570, when Bunratty was held for Queen Elizabeth by the Earl of Thomond a period of 215 years - the castle was continuously in Irish hands, for its speedy fall seems to have disheartened the invaders, and all hope of retaining Tradaree as an English colony vanished.Very little is known of the affairs of Thomond from the death of De Clare in 1318 until the submission of Murrough, son of Turlough down to Henry VIII in 1542. During most

I live in the townland of Ballysheen in the parish of Sixmilebridge ,barony of Bunratty ,and Co of Clare .it is a very big townland

that I know of. They are Bunratty Caste, Ballintlea Castle, and Cratloe Castle.
Bunratty Castle was built by a norman knight named Robert De Musigros. There was a siege in the Castle long ago and a man named Mac Adams was killed. Cardinal Rinnucinni visited the Castle in July 1646. At that time it was so big that it could accommodate one thousand men. There are the ruins of a chapel near Bunratty Castle.
Ballintlea Castle was owned by the parents of the famous Donncad Ruadh Mac Conmara who wrote "Bán Chnuich Éireann Oig".
Cratloe Castle is situated in the same field as St. John's Well. There was a monastery there long ago. The ruins of it are there yet.

built in Co. Clare.This was built by a norman knight named Robert De Musegros in the year 1248. King Edward gave the Castle to Thomas De Clare, but, he was defeated and slain at the battle of Tradree 1277. His successor was Sir Richard De Clare. This Sir Richard and his norman army were defeated at Dysert O'Dea in the year 1318. When his wife heard the news she burned the Castle.Barnabas was known as the great Earl of Thomond was living in Bunratty Castle in 1646. He was forced to admit a garrison who were brought over from England and arrived in the Shannon. They were under the command of Col. Mac Adams. Their fleet remained in the Shannon to stop the trade of the river to Limerick. The Irish could not let this go on so they attacked Bunratty. They were under Lord Mus Kerry Gen Purcel and Gen Stephens. Col Mac Adams made preparations for the defence of the Castle which was protected on the east by the river Ogarney and on the south by a marsh. A trench was dug round from the river at the north to the hill on which the old Church of Bunratty now stands.

088the submission of Morrough 1st Earl of Thomond to Henry VIII (1542), Bunratty was one of the chief strongholds of the O'Briens. The whole question is involved in historical mist. Perhaps the most likely reason of its transfer lies in the Láim Láidir or strong hand that abnegation all law and order. It is doubtful whether all the Earls of Thomond made Bunratty their home from the time of Murrough onwards, but Barnaby, the 6th earl, made Bunratty altogether his home, and lived there until 1640 in which years he fled to England, being the last of his line who resided in the Castle. At this period (1646) it reached its zenith. It presented an aspect such as few places in Europe could rival. With a feudal castle of enormous size and strength girt round by Offices capable of affording accommodation to a thousand men, and surrounded by a park of several thousand acres, it had been principal residence of successive Kings and earls of Thomond

Cratloe stands on the Clare bank of the River Shannon, in the barony known as Bunratty Lower, and about 6 or 7 miles to the west of Limerick City.The word Cratloe has two meanings (1) Creath Saileóg meaning "the rough place where the little sallies grow" and this is indeed appropriate, as the locality consists for the most part of rough stony land, since the parish is situated on high ground over the river, and sallies, or osiers, grow plentifully in the locality. These were much used in the past in the manufactures of various kinds of baskets, e.g. potato baskets, market-baskets, and even cradles, and turf-baskets.(2) Cratloe can also be said to mean "the hump-backed mountain, or as the Gaelic has it Crot-shliab (Cratloe). Standing on the bank of the River Shannon where one get a fine view of the high-lands, it will be at once noted that the hills are certainly humped, hence the name.
For many centuries the highlands of Cratloe, as well as that of the entire territory of Upper and Lower Bunratty (Bunratty meaning the mouth or end of the Ratty river and the baronies of upper and lower Tulla formed the patrimonial lands of the Clan Cullen septs, including the McNamaras and their kindred clans.

089 for many generations.From the hill above, a view of the Shannon and surrounding Country for 50 miles around, every acre of which was the property of O'Brien, was to be obtained. The herd of deer was the finest in Ireland.Rinucinni is enthusiastic in his praises of the place. In a letter to his brother he says "I have no hesitation in asserting that Bunratty is the most beautiful spot I have ever seen. In Italy there is nothing like the palace and grounds of Lord Thomond, nothing like its ponds and park with its 3000 head of deer." His secretary, Massari in a letter to the same nobleman speaks of the castle and its site as the most delightful place he had seen in Ireland. "Nothing", he says could be more beautiful, and the palace is fit for an emperor.
Modern History of Bunratty. This is quite uneventful. In 1656 the year before Barnaby's death he leased "Bunratty; one Quarter ", to John Cooper

the McNamaras and O'Briens were in conflict and it is related the former sided with Bruce before the walls of Limerick while the latter espoused the cause of the English. The Red Earl of Ulster, at this time governor of Munster, held Bunratty Castle for forty-seven weeks.Donogh O'Brien, who sided with Clifford against Hugh O'Donnell, had his headquarters in Bunratty. O'Donnell's grandfather had been married to an O'Brien - Fionnula, daughter of Conor na Srona, co-founder with her husband of the abbey of Donegal. Bunratty and Tradree loomed largely in the rebellion of 1641. Rinnaeini visited the castle and Ireton and Leidlow came here on a few occasions during the Cromwellian campaign. Clenagh Castle down by the Fergus was the birthplace of Maire Rua who took a prominent part in the events of this stormy period. A tradition has it that she is buried in Killnasoolagh.During the war of the Revolution provisions were sent fom Tradraighe to Sarsfield's army in Limerick till communications were finally cut off by Ireton.The Penal Laws brought about

091sad in the severance of an ancient family from the ancestral home, but now the last link was broken, except for the financial tie of a head rent and the famous castle and noble park, so full of historical associations, passed away for ever from the families so intimately connected with its long and wonderful story .Thirteen years later in 1725 Thomas Amory of Bunratty, Esq. agreed to sell his interest in the fee farm grant 1712 to Thomas Studdert for £1600 and a further sum as a mortgage. The castle and lands of Bunratty have remained ever since in the senior line of the Studdert family.

087no part of the existing building belongs to a period earlier than 1440. Two of the Museum lists of castle builders assign the foundation of Bunratty to Maccon son of Sioda Mac Conmara chief of Clan Cuelin, who died in 1428. Maccon was the son of founder (Sioda) of the Franciscan church of Quin. Reading the English State papers at this time, it would seem that the English considered the Mac Conmara to be the chief military power to be dealt with in Thomond.The men, it may be safely asserted who had built a few years earlier, the noble monastery of Quin, for the order of Francis with its tower and beautiful cloisters, and were at this period both rich and powerful, were of course, quite capable of erecting even as fine a castle as Bunratty. But supposing, as is most probable the castle was built by the Mc Namaras and in their possession for many years, how and when did its ownership pass from the Mc Namaras into the O Briens hands for it is an undoubted historical fact that for a certain number of years before

Travelling Men.
Two famous "travelling men"of the long ago were Tom Clampar and Seán Rábach.
Clampar was a fiddler and a Smuggler.The coaches passed by Bunratty Castle at that time;and boats came up to the castle.Clampar travelled on the coaches and carried out his trade. He was drowned in Bunratty and his body floated across the Shannon to Ringmoylan Quay where he was found claspimg his fiddle .His body never sunk.

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Richard De Burgo "Red Earl of Ulster"spent forty three weeks in Bunratty Castle.William Penn father founder of Pennsylvania defended Bunratty from the river for the Puritansin 1645. His son then a boy was with him.Penns wife a Dutchwoman married Jaspier was born at Jasper's Pound near Doora Schoolhouse on the road to Quin.- Murphy a Clonmoney man fought in the rebellion of Wexford in '98.(Page 80)William Smith O Brien born in Dromoland Castle (see page10)Daniel O Connell was met by the men of Tradraighe at Bunratty.They drew his carriage to Ennis.Daniel O Connell dined at the house of Mc Mahon of Knockane after the famous Ballyala meeting.Father Murphy a prominent Clare figure in the fight for Catholic Emancipation was born at Gregan's Forge (See page 80)James Halpin born in Rahaline 1854 was

The name of my townland is Crogane.it is in the parish of Doora and it is in the Barony of Upper Bunratty. There are eight houses in ti .Some of the houses are thatched and some are slated.it got its name because of the craggy land.The are no old people now.it is lime-stone land.The land is very good for rearing store cattle.There are a few old ruins.many do not go to America from Crogane.There were more houses here long ago.it is a very nice townland.It was a great townland long ago for old people. They were great for telling stories.

There is an old castle in my district. I never heard who built it or who owns it. It is situated in the townland of Castletown in the parish of Doora and in the Barony of Upper Bunratty.

My home district is Mount Cashel ,Sixmilebridge.in the barony of Lower Bunratty.There are these houses in it, Gleeso's,Butler and our own.Gleeson was the name most common in the district.Two of the houses are two-storey high and one of them is three storey high.The ruins of Mac Inerney's can be seen there yet.The most of the land is fairly good.