298:
the
Congested Districts Board had coveted the land of the Clifden Demesne to expand their own farms. In 1913, the land was offered to the Congested Districts Board at the price of 2,100 pounds. The farmers were interested in the purchase, but no decision was made. Then in 1917, Joyce bought the land. The local Catholic priest, Canon Patrick McAlpine, started a "severe and sometimes violent" campaign against "the underhanded way" of the purchase. From the pulpit, McAlpine denounced Joyce as a 'land grabber' and said he "had passed the graves of grabbers and within six months he would pass the grave of the Clifden Grabber and there would be six feet of clay over him".
290:
47:
335:
327:
31:
802:
195:
54:
278:
their descendants received the income from them. There was no individual owner of the demesne after 1894, and running the
Clifden estate was left to agents. The castle fell into disrepair, the demesne was leased out for grazing to locals as attempts by the agents to sell the property were unsuccessful. All lands except the demesne were eventually purchased by the
250:, founder of Clifden, had this house constructed for himself and his family even while he was busy building up the town. The Castle dates from around 1818 and served as the main dwelling of the large D'Arcy family for the next decades. The land surrounding it was among the first D’Arcy drained and reclaimed in the Clifden area.
297:
In 1917, J.B. Joyce, a local butcher, purchased the castle and its lands. However, this sale resulted in great controversy. The demesne, or castle lands, of
Clifton Castle was around 200 acres (81 ha). Numerous former tenants of small scale farms in the area who had purchased their holdings via
317:
The cooperative was established in
November 1921. Although it held the official title, in fact the tenants divided up the land among themselves. In May 1935, the Land Commission purchased the land from the Cooperative and passed on ownership of Clifden Castle to the tenants, to be held jointly. The
313:
suggested an agreement in
September 1920 did Joyce agree to sell the land. It was purchased for 2,300 pounds plus legal costs plus 150 pounds for damages by trustees who were to set up the 'Clifden Cooperative'. The agreement postulated that the wood and castle were to be 'preserved as the property
269:
The Eyre family used the Castle as a holiday home. In the 1850s, a new roof was added and the facade altered to suit the taste of the new owners. Thomas Eyre eventually bought
Charles' share and on 16 July 1864, two years before his own death, gave the Castle and the Clifden estates as a present to
366:
The former castle and demesne are now owned by several families. The gateway is visible from the Sky Road, and access to the ruined house is through the gateway along a path that meanders across the hillside to the building. The surrounding grassland is populated by grazing cows, sheep and horses,
350:
The estate also includes a large gateway, built in 1815 in the medieval style. In addition, D'Arcy had several standing stones erected on his property. Four remain along the winding path between the gateway and the house. One of them might be a prehistoric worked stone, originating from elsewhere.
305:
supported him. Farmers drove Joyce's cattle from his land, put their own stock on his fields and barricaded the gates against him. A town meeting on the issue resulted in a scuffle, stones thrown at the police and injured policemen. Legal action went on until
January 1920, when the judge confirmed
277:
The Eyre family were absentee landlords, but used
Clifden Castle through John Joseph's death on 15 April 1894. After his death, a trust was set up to administer his estate, which included considerable holdings in Britain and elsewhere. The trust ran the estates and John Joseph's six children and
258:
struck. Hunger, starvation and fever incapacitated large numbers of people as the potato crop failed. In desperation, many emigrated. As a consequence, the rent income of the D'Arcys plunged. On 21 September 1846, Hyacinth D'Arcy's tenants gathered en masse on his front lawn, begging for work or
358:, with a well and pond nearby. On the demesne there are also the remains of a 'marine temple' made of sea shells on the stream to the east of the castle. Close to the road to the north is a children's graveyard, originally for three Eyre children who died in the 1880s.
346:
style, popular in the early 1800s. The castle's original features include a rounded tower to the southeast, a square tower and an entry tower with two round turrets. However, most current decorative features date from the 1850s/1860s and were added by the Eyre family.
253:
In 1839, John D'Arcy died and his oldest son, Hyacinth, inherited the estate. However, Hyacinth (1806?–1874) was not as adept as his father at running the family properties and at dealing with his tenants. More disastrously, in 1845 the
266:, bought the Castle, and most of the town and surrounding lands for 21,245 pounds. They had been the mortgagees of the estate since 1837, shortly before John D'Arcy's death.
181:
style. It fell into disrepair after becoming uninhabited in 1894. In 1935, ownership passed to a group of tenants, who were to own it jointly, and it quickly became a ruin.
318:
contents of the house had been previously auctioned off, but now the roof, windows, timber and lead were stripped away. Without a roof, Clifden Castle soon fell into ruin.
262:
In the end, the D'Arcy estate went bankrupt and
Clifden was one of several D'Arcy properties put up for sale on 18 November 1850. Thomas and Charles Eyre, brothers from
354:
To the west of the castle, a substantial enclosed farmyard was constructed. This comprised a grain store, workers' cottages, stable and coachhouse. Next to it was a
874:
830:
635:
818:
879:
93:
572:
521:
475:
426:
279:
814:
46:
869:
628:
556:
234:
212:
247:
216:
781:
499:
442:
621:
86:
306:
Joyce's ownership. However, the tenants did not accept that and his cattle were again driven off.
741:
205:
716:
255:
78:
271:
8:
681:
613:
691:
289:
766:
751:
731:
666:
602:
552:
422:
776:
711:
706:
676:
671:
334:
756:
746:
726:
721:
283:
573:"National Inventory of Architectural Heritage: Clifden Castle enclosed farmyard"
791:
736:
701:
686:
661:
343:
263:
178:
310:
863:
845:
832:
355:
326:
167:
108:
95:
476:"National Inventory of Architectural Heritage: Clifden Castle Main Building"
342:
The estate faces south and overlooks
Clifden Bay. It was constructed in the
786:
771:
761:
302:
606:
293:
Clifden Castle viewed from the west with the gateway in the background.
219: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
30:
522:"National Inventory of Architectural Heritage: Clifden Castle gateway"
163:
419:
Beyond the Twelve Bens – a history of Clifden and district 1860–1923
194:
801:
653:
645:
443:"Landed estates database: D'Arcy (Kiltullagh & Clifden Castle)"
159:
643:
301:
The whole town of Clifden turned against Joyce, although
16:Ruined castellated manor in County Galway, Ireland
861:
596:
416:
551:. Folding Landscapes, Roundstone. p. 47.
629:
549:Connemara. Part 1: Introduction and gazetteer
177:for John D'Arcy, the local landowner, in the
158:is a ruined manor house west of the town of
367:and part of the castle ruins is a cow pen.
819:Historic houses in the Republic of Ireland
636:
622:
542:
540:
538:
875:Ruined castles in the Republic of Ireland
500:"Landed estates database: Eyre (Clifden)"
494:
492:
470:
468:
466:
464:
462:
460:
412:
410:
408:
406:
404:
402:
400:
235:Learn how and when to remove this message
546:
398:
396:
394:
392:
390:
388:
386:
384:
382:
380:
333:
325:
288:
535:
862:
565:
514:
489:
457:
435:
53:
617:
377:
330:Eyre family crest on the entry tower.
217:adding citations to reliable sources
188:
815:Historic houses in Northern Ireland
597:Villiers-Tuthill, Kathleen (1982).
417:Villiers-Tuthill, Kathleen (2006).
13:
590:
14:
891:
880:Ruins in the Republic of Ireland
800:
270:his nephew, John Joseph Eyre of
193:
52:
45:
29:
421:. Connemara Girl Publications.
338:Ruins of the enclosed farmyard.
321:
204:needs additional citations for
644:Castles and Historic Houses -
1:
370:
171:
128:
599:History of Clifden 1810–1860
7:
311:Sinn Féin arbitration court
10:
896:
184:
809:
798:
652:
280:Congested Districts Board
145:
137:
124:
85:
74:
69:
40:
28:
23:
870:Castles in County Galway
361:
314:of the Clifden people'.
170:, Ireland. It was built
248:John D'Arcy (1785–1839)
61:Location within Ireland
547:Robinson, Tim (2005).
339:
331:
294:
79:Clifden, County Galway
846:53.49178°N 10.05673°W
337:
329:
292:
213:improve this article
125:Construction started
851:53.49178; -10.05673
842: /
682:Ballynahinch Castle
109:53.4918°N 10.0567°W
105: /
70:General information
692:Classiebawn Castle
601:. self-published.
340:
332:
295:
825:
824:
777:Strokestown House
767:Rockingham Estate
732:Lough Rynn Castle
667:Aughnanure Castle
428:978-0-9530455-1-8
272:Saint John's Wood
245:
244:
237:
153:
152:
114:53.4918; -10.0567
887:
857:
856:
854:
853:
852:
847:
843:
840:
839:
838:
835:
804:
712:Eyrecourt Castle
707:Dunguaire Castle
677:Ballymote Castle
672:Ballymore Castle
638:
631:
624:
615:
614:
610:
584:
583:
581:
579:
569:
563:
562:
544:
533:
532:
530:
528:
518:
512:
511:
509:
507:
496:
487:
486:
484:
482:
472:
455:
454:
452:
450:
439:
433:
432:
414:
240:
233:
229:
226:
220:
197:
189:
176:
173:
133:
130:
120:
119:
117:
116:
115:
110:
106:
103:
102:
101:
98:
56:
55:
49:
33:
21:
20:
895:
894:
890:
889:
888:
886:
885:
884:
860:
859:
850:
848:
844:
841:
836:
833:
831:
829:
828:
826:
821:
805:
796:
757:Portumna Castle
747:Mote Park House
727:Lissadell House
722:Kilronan Castle
717:Hazelwood House
648:
642:
593:
591:Further reading
588:
587:
577:
575:
571:
570:
566:
559:
545:
536:
526:
524:
520:
519:
515:
505:
503:
498:
497:
490:
480:
478:
474:
473:
458:
448:
446:
441:
440:
436:
429:
415:
378:
373:
364:
324:
284:Land Commission
241:
230:
224:
221:
210:
198:
187:
174:
131:
113:
111:
107:
104:
99:
96:
94:
92:
91:
65:
64:
63:
62:
59:
58:
57:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
893:
883:
882:
877:
872:
823:
822:
810:
807:
806:
799:
797:
795:
794:
792:Westport House
789:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
759:
754:
752:Parke's Castle
749:
744:
739:
737:Markree Castle
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
702:Clonalis House
699:
697:Clifden Castle
694:
689:
687:Castle Hackett
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
662:Ashford Castle
658:
656:
650:
649:
641:
640:
633:
626:
618:
612:
611:
592:
589:
586:
585:
564:
557:
534:
513:
488:
456:
434:
427:
375:
374:
372:
369:
363:
360:
344:Gothic Revival
323:
320:
243:
242:
201:
199:
192:
186:
183:
179:Gothic Revival
156:Clifden Castle
151:
150:
147:
143:
142:
139:
135:
134:
126:
122:
121:
89:
83:
82:
76:
72:
71:
67:
66:
60:
51:
50:
44:
43:
42:
41:
38:
37:
35:Clifden Castle
34:
26:
25:
24:Clifden Castle
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
892:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
867:
865:
858:
855:
820:
816:
813:
808:
803:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
659:
657:
655:
651:
647:
639:
634:
632:
627:
625:
620:
619:
616:
608:
604:
600:
595:
594:
574:
568:
560:
558:0-9504002-5-4
554:
550:
543:
541:
539:
523:
517:
501:
495:
493:
477:
471:
469:
467:
465:
463:
461:
444:
438:
430:
424:
420:
413:
411:
409:
407:
405:
403:
401:
399:
397:
395:
393:
391:
389:
387:
385:
383:
381:
376:
368:
359:
357:
356:walled garden
352:
348:
345:
336:
328:
319:
315:
312:
309:Only after a
307:
304:
299:
291:
287:
285:
282:or later the
281:
275:
273:
267:
265:
260:
257:
251:
249:
239:
236:
228:
225:December 2016
218:
214:
208:
207:
202:This section
200:
196:
191:
190:
182:
180:
169:
168:County Galway
165:
161:
157:
148:
144:
140:
136:
127:
123:
118:
90:
88:
84:
80:
77:
73:
68:
48:
39:
32:
27:
22:
19:
827:
811:
787:Tyrone House
782:Temple House
772:Scregg House
762:Rappa Castle
696:
598:
576:. Retrieved
567:
548:
525:. Retrieved
516:
504:. Retrieved
502:. NUI Galway
479:. Retrieved
447:. Retrieved
445:. NUI Galway
437:
418:
365:
353:
349:
341:
322:Architecture
316:
308:
300:
296:
276:
268:
261:
252:
246:
231:
222:
211:Please help
206:verification
203:
155:
154:
18:
849: /
175: 1818
149:John D'Arcy
132: 1815
112: /
87:Coordinates
864:Categories
837:10°03′24″W
834:53°29′30″N
742:Moore Hall
607:B0006DKE4S
578:31 January
527:31 January
506:31 January
481:31 January
449:31 January
371:References
274:, London.
166:region of
100:10°03′24″W
97:53°29′30″N
812:See also:
303:Sinn Féin
164:Connemara
138:Completed
81:, Ireland
654:Connacht
646:Connacht
75:Location
185:History
162:in the
160:Clifden
141:c. 1818
605:
555:
425:
259:food.
256:famine
146:Client
362:Today
603:ASIN
580:2013
553:ISBN
529:2013
508:2013
483:2013
451:2013
423:ISBN
264:Bath
215:by
866::
817:•
537:^
491:^
459:^
379:^
286:.
172:c.
129:c.
637:e
630:t
623:v
609:.
582:.
561:.
531:.
510:.
485:.
453:.
431:.
238:)
232:(
227:)
223:(
209:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
