Cnap-hillock, lump, knob. Cnapóg-Little hill (sometimes found as Crapóg).
Knopoge derives its name from “Cnapoige”, the place abounding in little hills. It is applied to hard hilly land. There are many similarly named townlands throughout the country, but this English spelling is unique to our one. Knoppoge is in Kerry; Knappoge is in Longford.
The English spelling of our own townland has had many variations since first recorded in 1577. It is, to this day, at odds with the castle which resides within it!
Down Survey Records
Name: Carrowkeile (An Ceathrú Caol/Coill?) alias Drumhanlisha (Drom an Liosa?)
Profitable land: 30 plantation acres. Unprofitable land: 143 plantation acres
Forfeited: 30 plantation acres
1641 Owner(s): McNamarafin, Daniall (Catholic)
1659 Census Total: 16 (all Irish) Later record shows 29 (English: 27 Irish: 2) Titulado: Arthur Smith (until 1661).
1670 Owner(s): McNamara, John (Catholic)
Griffiths Valuation Records
1855 residents: Lord Dunboyne, John Fawl, John Hanneen
Census Records
1891 population 28, residences 7
1901 residents: Pat/Margaret Hannon plus 3 children; Patrick/Catherine Hickey plus 5 children; Thomas/Bridget Scanlan plus 3 children. Domestic staff: Patrick/Mary Moroney; Margaret/Kate Doogan; Thomas Brennan; Timothy McCarthy. 5 of 7 dwellings recorded.
1911 residents: Joseph O’Toole with Bartley Larkin (Lodger); Patrick/Catherine Hickey plus 4 children; Patrick/Anne Scanlan plus one child; Catherine Duggan plus Thomas Brennan (Boarder); Robert/Maude Dunboyne(Butler) plus one child and 6 domestic staff; Patrick/Mary Moroney plus 2 children; Francis Daly; Margaret Hannon plus 3 children. 8 of 8 dwellings recorded.
Knopoge (alias Knappogue) Castle & Tower House CL042-086
The castle was built by Sean Mac Con, the son of Sioda MacNamara. It was one of 42 castles built by the McNamaras in Clare as a defence against the approaching Norman invasions. They had ruled over the territories of Clancullen (Clann Coileán) for a thousand years but now faced a different class of enemy.
Sean Mac Con was the man who built the great transept of Quin Abbey and completed the construction of Bunratty Castle which his father Síoda had started. The Four Masters referred to him as “the chief protector of the men of Ireland and renowned for his hospitality”.
Knopoge Castle became a Cromwellian garrison during that era as the MacNamaras had supported the royalist cause. Arthur Smith was granted tenancy of Knopoge by the Cromwellians and occupied the building from 1659 to 1661. After the restoration of the English monarchy, the MacNamaras regained ownership.
1467 – Tower House Castle built by Sean Mac Macon Mac Sioda MacNamara
1576 – in the hands of Turlough O’Brien
1584 – John Mac Namara was in possession
1585 – He signed the composition with Sir John Perrott, as John Mac Namara of Knappock, called Mac Namar of West Clancullen. This branch of the family, who added Finn to their name, were lords of West Clancullen, and possessed the castle of Dangan Iviggen1641, in possession of Daniel Mac Namara Finn who died in 1652, but his castle was given over by the Cromwellians to Arthur Smith, Daniel’s son.
1800 – Francis MacNamara sold it to the Scott family. They spent a considerable amount of money renovating it.
1855 – Theobold Fitzwalter Butler, 14th Baron Dunboyne, bought it and turned it into the new family seat of the Dunboyne family. They continued the restoration work started by the Scotts. They added a drawing-room, the long room and a west wing, which included the clock tower and the gateway. The Knappogue demesne then covered 486 acres, but further purchases of adjoining lands brought Lord Dunboyne’s total acquisition to 1448 acres.
1856 – He then proceeded to enlarge the castle, the foundation stone of a new west wing and clock tower was laid
1920 – During the Troubles the Clare County Council met here, guarded by the East Clare Flying Column of the I.R.A., whose commanding officer, General Michael Brennan, used this historic building as his headquarters.
1927 – the Knopoge demesne was purchased by the Land Commission and the castle became the possession of the Quinn family.
1966 – bought by Mark Edwin Andrews of Houston, Texas, former Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy. With his wife Lavonne, a prominent architect in the U.S., and in co-operation with the Shannon Free Airport Development Company and Bord Failte Eireann, he carried out an extensive restoration before leasing part of the castle to the Irish Government as a cultural and tourist amenity for a nominal rent.
Knopoge Wedgetomb CL042-092
Wedgetomb as it is today and sketch made by TJ Westropp c1910
This small Wedge Tomb, marked on the OS map as a ‘Cromlech’, is located on good level
pasture, east of the standing stones and castle at Knopoge. The tomb, orientated NW – SE, consists of four side-stones, two on each side, a back-stone and a roof-stone. The chamber is partially filled with cairn material and the entire structure is sited on a circular mound 10m in diameter.
Other National Monument Features
CL042-085/088/177 Standing Stones
CL042-089 Standing Row
CL042-091 Embanked Barrow
CL042-087 Burial Ground
CL042-176 Fulacht Fia
CL042-048001 Enclosure (part of Ballymarkahan Cashel cluster)
Although not recorded as such, the gate pillars surrounding the castle estate surely deserve National Monument status and should be given due protection.
Gatepost at the castle showing distance to Quin, Spancilhill, Ennis in both English and Irish miles.
Closing Comments
Of the 2sq/km (0.78 sq/miles) contained within Knopoge townland, two thirds is within the area we know as Knappogue Castle demesne. It is difficult to discuss this townland without giving widespread attention to the castle estate.
The estate, castle and many noted heritage features add to the richness of our parish in terms of places to see and visit. Alongside Craggaunowen, Mooghaun, Magh Adhair and Quin Abbey, we are surrounded by an abundance of historical antiquities. The estate itself is due to reopen in spring offering 5-star accommodation. Further investment is promised for Craggaunowen. We hope to see the visitor experience of our abbey to be enhanced in the coming year. All of this, if clustered and marketed together should attract more visitor numbers and appreciation for the heritage of Quin into the future.
Reference websites
Butler family history:
https://landedestates.ie/estate/1997
National Monument & Heritage map
Townland/Placename information:
https://www.logainm.ie/en/7977
