Clonea Castle Explained

Clonea Castle was in Clonea parish in the historical barony of Decies-without-Drum in south County Waterford, Ireland.[1] Located in Clonea Lower townland, roughly two and a half miles east of Dungarvan, the castle lay on a rocky outcrop at the edge of the shore by Clonea Beach. It was owned by the Maguire (McGuire) family.[2]

The structure's entry in National Monuments Service records indicate that it was "not an antiquity", but was built in the late 18th or early 19th century, possibly on the site of an earlier Fitzgerald family fortification.[3] While some of the structure remained into the late 20th century,[4] the remaining ruins were largely destroyed by a winter storm in 1990.[3] [5]

Journalist and politician Muriel Bowen (1926–2000) was born on the Clonea Castle estate.[6]

References

52.1007°N -7.5323°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Mason, William Shaw . William Shaw Mason . A statistical account, or parochial survey of Ireland . Graisberry and Campbell . 1819 . In Clonea parish, about two miles and an half east of Dungarvan, is Clonea castle, the residence of Walter M'Guire, Esq. . 382 .
  2. Web site: House - Clonea Castle . Landed Estates Database . landedestates.nuigalway.ie . 3 September 2020 .
  3. Book: Records of Monuments and Places (Waterford) Draft . National Monuments Service . O'Flanagan, M . Moore, M . WA031-039 [..] Clonea Lower [..] Situated on rock outcrop at the edge of the shore on Clonea strand [..] not an antiquity. It was built by the Maguire family, probably in the late 18th or early 19th century, although it was said by J. O'Donovan c. 1840 to be on the site of a Fitzgerald castle [..] a rectangular tower of three storeys [..it..] fell in a storm in the winter of 1989-90, but the base of the NE and SE walls (T 0.9m; H c. 4m) survive .
  4. Web site: Clonea Castle (UK1059) . Waterford County Museum . waterfordmuseum.ie . 3 September 2020 .
  5. Web site: Clonea Castle (UK681) . Waterford County Museum . waterfordmuseum.ie . 3 September 2020 .
  6. News: Journalist, Horsewoman Muriel Bowen . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025084633/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-539711.html . dead . 25 October 2012 . . 27 August 2000 . 17 April 2009 .