Birds of Ireland’s Leamaneh Castle

Birds of Ireland’s Leamaneh Castle in County Clare.

A flock of birds has taken up residence in the ruins of one of County Clare’s most celebrated castles — Leamaneh Castle in Ireland’s Burren Region.

A former stronghold of the O’Brien clan, this castle consists of a 15th Century five-story tower house built in 1480 with a four-story mansion house added in 1643 by Conor O’Brien and his wife, Mary.

Infamously known as “Red Mary,” O’Brien’s widow still is believed to haunt the property, no doubt a karmic curse born of the torturous abuse she inflicted on her servants.

If you think you have “the boss from hell,” get this… Red Mary was known for hanging her servants by the hair if they made a mistake!

She died in 1686, but her cruelty and misdeeds destined her to roam  the land and empty castle forever.

After a string of occupants over another century, Leamaneh fell into ruin in the late 1700s, though some of the more elegant architectural features were preserved.

In 1908, the castle’s entrance gates were relocated to Dromoland Castle, now a 5-star hotel, and one of the fancy fireplaces found a new haunt at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis.