Clonony Castle was built by the MacCoughlan clan in the 1500’s and was the site where the firing of muskets was first practiced.
In the early 17th century the castle was assigned to King Henry VIII who in turn handed it over to Thomas Boleyn and made him Earl of Ormond; the reasoning behind this was to win the hand of his daughter Ann in marriage. Two cousins of Queen Elizabeth; Mary and Elizabeth Boleyn, spent their lives at the castle and are buried underneath a hawthorn tree in the grounds.
During Cromwell’s invasion of Ireland the castle remained relatively untouched but was left abandoned and fell into ruins in parts. It is now in the hands of a private owner and renovation is progressing slowly with the help of donations.
Ghost
The ghost of a man has been seen at the top of the tower wearing old fashioned clothes. He is said to be surrounded by a halo of mist and is a tall thin figure.
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