Dromore, County Clare 1.76

Dromore, County Clare is a rural townland in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is located in the parish of Ruan and was formerly the location of Dromore House. Today, most of the townland is accounted for by Dromore Wood Nature Reserve. It is open to the public and also contains the ruins of Dromore Castle.GeographyDromore is located between the towns of Crusheen and Corofin, west of the M18 motorway and north of Ennis. The townland also contains Dromore Lake, fed by the River Fergus. The townland features a variety of terrain: rivers, lakes, turloughs, callows (flooded meadows), limestone pavement, fens, reed beds and woodland.HistoryDromore Castle was probably constructed in the early 16th century. In the 17th century, Teige O'Brien of the O'Brien clan repaired and expanded it. The castle and lands of Dromore had been granted to Teige's father, Connor (Third Earl of Thomond), in 1579. Dermot, son of Teige, was an important protagonist in the Confederate Wars and participated in the Siege of Ballyalla Castle (Ennis). The last O'Brien at the castle was Conor, who left in 1689. The castle fell into ruin in the 18th century.