Upon returning to bid farewell to them before going into exile with her husband, who was obliged to fly for his life, her father detained her. Her husband was unable to come openly to the house, and so she never saw him again, but gradually pined away, and died under the ash-tree growing among the castle ruins, where she used to meet him before their marriage. Since then her ghost is said to frequent the spot after nightfall.
| Authorities Consulted. |
| J. Frost, “The County of Clare.” |
| Croker, “Researches in the South of Ireland.” |
| Croker, “Fairy Legends.” |
| Ferrar, “History of Limerick.” |
| Lenihan, “History of Limerick.” |
| Bagwell, “Ireland under the Tudors.” |
| Hall, “Ireland.” |
| State Papers. |
| Parliamentary Gazetteer. |
| Shirley (with note by O’Brien), “Extracts from the Journal of Thomas Dineley,” in Journal of Kilkenny Archæological Society. |
CASTLE BARNARD
“Where Castle Bernard sees with glad surprise,
At every wish successive beauties rise.”
The former name for this stronghold was Castle Mahon. It is situated on the River Bandon not far from the town. The present castle is said to occupy the site of the former royal rath of the O’Mahonys, Kings of Munster. It was called Rathleann, and the great Saint Fin Barr was born there. This was much anterior to the English invasion, although an inquisition held in 1584 states that the O’Mahonys came from Carbery in 1460, and seized the Crown lands, which had been forfeited by the Barry Oges in 1399.
They were, however, only returning to the country over which they had formerly ruled. The fortress is supposed to have been built by an O’Mahony.
Francis Bernard, who succeeded to the estate in 1660, threw down the ancient bawn walls, and enlarged the windows. His son, Judge Bernard, rebuilt the castle after it came into his possession in 1690.
A new brick front was added on the river side, the bricks having been made in the neighbourhood.
He was succeeded by his son Francis (usually known as Squire Bernard) in 1731, who added an eastern front to the fortress, and planted the great beech avenue. Smith, who collected his information in 1749, describes the castle as having two regular fronts of brick, with Corinthian pilasters and coignes and beltings of Portland stone.