Cratloe Woods House
Cratloe, Co. Clare
Tel: 061 327028
Fax: 061 317 031
"A cross between a stately home and a farmhouse," was how one visitor
described Cratloe Woods House. It's a
fascinating place with a long and interesting history,
and also enjoys the distinction of being the only surviving Irish long house that is still
lived in as a home. Even more remarkable, the present residents are direct descendants
of Lucius O'Brien who moved into the house with his new wife Catherine in the spring of 1702.
Although much larger than the traditional Irish long house, Cratloe Hall as it was then
called, followed the same principle. The humbler kind of long house consisted of a kitchen with just
one room on each side but at Cratloe more rooms were added at each end although the house
remained just a single room in depth.
Lucius O'Brien was a scion of the most powerful family in the region, descended
from no less a personage than Brian Boru, the 11th century King of Ireland who defeated the
Danes at the Battle of Clontarf. Lucius was also
the grandson of Maire Rua (Red Mary) O'Brien whose portrait still occupies pride of place
in the house. It was thanks to Red Mary, so named because of her red hair and flaming temper,
that the house still remains with the O'Briens.
Her husband, Conor O'Brien, was killed at the Inchicronan Ambush in 1651. When
the Cromwellian troops arrived with his body at Cratloe, Maire denied any knowledge of
the man, despite having borne him three children. She knew that the penalty for his rebellion would be forfeiture of the property. To back up her
story, Maire rode into Limerick, demanded an audience with Gen. Ireton and offered to marry any officer
he chose. Cornet Cooper volunteered, was accepted, and the O'Brien estate saved for another 350 years.
Today, the house presents a striking appearance with its walls washed a bold red colour. Visits
to the house are by guided tours which take in the principal rooms with their fine furniture,
family portraits and various unusual pieces such as a dual purpose seat. The seat is hinged and when lifted
up reveals a very practical bidet.
In the farmyard, there's a wonderful array of vintage farm machinery, all of it once used
on the estate. Within the grounds there once stood the ruins of an old friary but this was
demolished in 1860 by Augustus O'Brien so that his view
of the River Shannon should not be obscured. Still standing however are the dark and
mysterious Garrannon Oak Woods which produced the timber for the hammerbeam roof of
Westminster Hall in London in 1399, and also for what is
now the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. Cratloe Woods House is open, Monday to Saturday, between
2pm and 4pm
