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Rockfleet Castle, also known as Carraigahowley
Castle, is situated on a beautiful inlet off Clew Bay
and dates back to the mid-16th century.
The castle is eighteen meters in height and has four
floors within the castle, a corner turret and a large
fireplace on the top floor.
The castle was besieged by troops sent from Galway in
1574, but the invaders were turned back by pirate queen
Grace O'Malley who lived here after she married Sir Richard
"The Iron" Bourke in 1566. After the death of
Bourke in 1583, Grace retired to this castle. It was said
that she brought with her "all her own followers
and 1000 head of cows and mares."
The castle is open in the summer months.
Visitors wishing to visit Clare island can get a ferry
from the nearby pier.
The castle was restored by the diplomat
Sir Owen O'Malley, who was a direct descendant of Grace,
who lived in the nearby late Georgian house. In recent
years Rockfleet Castle was acquired by a former American
ambassador to Ireland.
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