KILCLOONEY CASTLE

Kilclooney Castle was a tower house which was believed to have been built in the 15th/16th century and was used as a bardic school run by the renowned Ó hÚigínn (Higgins) family. The castle was occupied by Donell Ó hUigín in 1574. Tadgh Dall Ó hUigín of Sligo (1545-1593) refers to the castle as a school of poetry in the 16th century, stating; ‘seventeen poets of Ulster’s brightest progeny sought learning in Kilclooney of Connacht’.

It is believed that the students each studied filíocht (poetry) for 12 years and that the school year lasted from November to March. It is said that each student had his own stone hut where he would meditate on a prescribed theme, and next day would recite his composition before fellow students and his tutor. There is unfortunately no evidence of the stone huts there today.

In 1641, three separate parts of Kilclooney were held by Brian, Hugh and Tully Ó hUigín, but their lands were granted to William Burke at the Restoration in the 1660’s. The castle, a recorded monument, now lays nearly demolished with just the remains of the first floor still standing

The following is a verse in Irish from the poem ‘Cáislean Cheall Chluaine agus Scoil na bhFile’ composed by Tadgh Dall Ó hUigín recalling the presence here at Kilclooney of seventeen poets from Ulster:

“Seacht bhfir dhéag d’éigaibh Uladh,

Do chuaidh d’larraich ealadhan

Dal an chuaine fhinn Ultaigh

Go Cill Chluaine I gConnachtaibh”