O'Dea's Castle

Map Reference: R283850 (1283, 1850)

O Dea's Castle has been fully restored and is now a museum and exhibition centre. It is possibly five storeys high. There is a guard chamber to the right of the entrance and a very fine spiral stairway rises on the left. The entrance is protected by a murder hole leading from the first floor and a machicolation at roof level.



The castle is vaulted above first floor and third floor. At the second floor there is a good collection of fashioned stones including quern stones and millstones. At the third floor there is a good AV display illustrating the history of Co Clare. The room above the second vault has a fine fireplace. There is a three-light window in the west wall and a two-light window in the south wall. Much of this appears to be a reconstruction. The room houses a fine collection of archaeological finds. The roof and crenellations are modern.