| Dough Castle was built by the O'Connors in 1306. Its old name Dumhach Ui Chonchuir would translate as O'Connor's Sandbank and it was an O'Connor stronghold until the O’Briens ousted them during the reign of Elizabeth I. By l584 the castle was held by Sir Donal O'Brien's family. In 1654 Colonel Stubber a Cromwellian officer saved the castle from the "Commissioners for overthrowing and demolishing castles in Connaught and CIare". In 1675 the castle was described as a tall battlemented tower with a two-storey dwelling house attached to one side. The present ruin is the result of poor foundations (mainly sand) rather than the ravages of war. The building collapsed over time, mainly during the nineteenth century. Only one wall now remains. The sand hills are supposed to be the haunt of Donn Dumhach the Fairy King, and the sand hill Crughaneer near the bridge is also supposed to be haunted. |
