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	===Castles===		===Castles===

	Cratloe is the location of several ruined castles and ], the most notable being Cratloemoyle Castle, located just to the north of the N18 on the approach to Limerick.		Cratloe is the location of several ruined castles and ], the most notable being ], located just to the north of the ] on the approach to Limerick.

	Less than half a mile away, on the opposite side of the road, Cratloekeel Castle sits on a low outcrop, and can be just discerned from the road through the surrounding trees.		Less than half a mile away, on the opposite side of the road, ] sits on a low outcrop, and can be just discerned from the road through the surrounding trees. Further south, on the banks of the River Shannon, is the site of Castle Donnell or ], though little is left of the ruins. On the western slopes of Woodcock Hill, toward ] the ruins of ] lie in a farmyard. All four of these castles are recorded as being built by the MacNamara clan.

	Further south, on the banks of the River Shannon, is the site of Castle Donnell or Cratloemore Castle, though little is left of the ruins.

	On the western slopes of Woodcock Hill, toward ] the ruins of Ballintlea Castle lie in a farmyard.

	All four of these castles are recorded as being built by the MacNamara clan.

	===Churches===		===Churches===

Revision as of 04:05, 27 January 2008

Template:Infobox Irish Place

Cratloe ( Error: {{Langx}}: text has italic markup (help), meaning 'The Land of Sallow trees') is a village (2006 population: 643) in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, situated between Limerick City and Ennis in the midwest of Ireland. It is also possible that the name derives from Croit-shliabh meaning "hump-backed hill", refering to Woodcock Hill.

Places of interest

The Cratloe Woods, located on the overlooking hillside, are a popular recreational park and forestry area. Garranon Oak Wood, near Cratloe Church, provided the timbers for the roofs of London's Westminster Hall and the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

Craughaun Cemetery, just west of the Cratloe to Sixmilebridge road, contains a megalithic wedge tomb, the ruins of an old church and a family vault dedicated to the Blood family.

D'Esterre Bridge, crossing the the Ratty/O'gChearnaigh River near Rossmanaher Castle between Bunratty and Sixmilebridge, is characterised by the imposing ruins of the gate-towers remaining from its days as a toll-crossing.

The remanants of several small raths, or ring-forts can be found in various fields around Cratloe.

Castles

Cratloe is the location of several ruined castles and tower houses, the most notable being Cratloemoyle Castle, located just to the north of the N18 on the approach to Limerick.

Less than half a mile away, on the opposite side of the road, Cratloekeel Castle sits on a low outcrop, and can be just discerned from the road through the surrounding trees. Further south, on the banks of the River Shannon, is the site of Castle Donnell or Cratloemore Castle, though little is left of the ruins. On the western slopes of Woodcock Hill, toward Sixmilebridge the ruins of Ballintlea Castle lie in a farmyard. All four of these castles are recorded as being built by the MacNamara clan.

Churches

In addition to the main parish church dedicated to St. John, there is another church within the parish, on the approach to the village of Sixmilebridge. This church is known locally as "The Little Church", and is unusual in that it is not dedicated to any particular saint.

The ruins of several other chapels and churches can be found in the area. As mentioned above, there is one such ruin within the cemetery at Craughaun, and there is another near Cratloemoyle Castle, which together with the nearby well, was dedicated to St. John.

The ruins of the medieval parish church and cemetery of Kilfintenan can be found in the townland of Ballybroughan on the road from Sixmilebridge to Gallows Hill.

In his 1893 work "The History and Topography of the County of Clare", James Frost mentions that one Augustus Stafford O'Brien MP removed the ruins of a friary from the grounds of his residence, Cratloe Woods House, apparently because it interfered with the view.

Transport

Cratloe is located just off the N18 road from Limerick to Ennis.
The railway line from Limerick to Ennis also passes by the village – although the station remains closed at present. Cratloe railway station opened on 17 January 1859, but finally closed on 17 June 1963.

Education

There is a primary school located opposite St John's church.

History

The area of Cratloe is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, where it is recorded that Crimhthan, King of Munster and High King of Ireland died in the Cratloe area from poison administered by his sister, who wished for her son Brian to be High King. In the end, however Brian had to settle for the Kingdom of Connaught, while the High Kingship went to a man who was to be later known as Niall of the Nine Hostages.

In 1510, an Anglo-Irish army led by Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare marched on Thomond, and was met and defeated at Cratloe by an army of the O'Brien, McNamara, Sil-Aedha and Clanrickard clans led by Turlough O'Brien.

Geography

Cratloe is bounded to the south by the tidal estuary of river Shannon, to the west by the Ratty/O'gChearnaigh (Garney) river, and a large part of the eastern boundary is formed by a creek known locally as the Sandy River.

With the exceptions of a few low hills, the portion of Cratloe south of the N18 dual-carriageway, and west of the R462 road to Sixmilebridge mainly consists of the low lying flood plains of the tidal rivers. The farmlands in these areas are protected by levees.

The remainder of the parish consists of the south-western and western portion of Woodcock Hill, which summits at 310m (1015ft) just outside Cratloe's boundary. A large portion of this area is planted as a spruce/pine forest.