Clifden Castle
CBÉS 0004
Page 392
Clifden CastleClifden Castle - built by John D'Arcy in thee 19th century overlooks Clifden Bay. The D'Arcy family to which John belonged were at that time very wealthy and owned all the land from the sea to Ballinahinch but in 1800 their whole estate was sold and purchased by Thomas Eyre.Clifden Castle was built many years before the town of Clifden. In the year 1814 there was a thatched cottage where Mr Connolly, the solicitor, now lives. The foundation of Clifden was laid by John D'Arcy of the Clifden estate and after his death it was proposed to erect a monument to him on a hill overlooking the town now known as Monument Hill. For some reason the monument was never completed.At that time Clifden had the largest corn market in Ireland. Hookers were loaded daily at the graneries which are now derelict on the Quay Road. It was Nimmo, the famous engineer, who planned the roads and built the bridges in Connemara. He also built Nimmo's Pier in Galway. His residence was at Maam and he owned the place where the present Franciscan monastry is built in Roundstone.