Editing Cratloe (section)

===Castles===
Cratloe is the location of several ruined castles and [[tower houses]], including Cratloemoyle Castle (sometimes referred to as 'Cratloe Castle'), located just to the north of the N18 road on the approach to Limerick. The castle is 5 stories high and was built sometime in the early 1500s. John McNamara, who died in 1780, was the last occupant of the castle and as he had no one to pass the castle onto, the castle was sold and for the first time in 700 years the land around the castle was not in the possession of the McNamara family.<ref name="Castles in Cratloe">{{cite web | url=https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/cratloeinterest.htm | title=Cratloe Castles | publisher=clarelibrary.ie | access-date=25 August 2012}}</ref>

Less than half a mile away, on the opposite side of the road, Cratloekeel Castle sits on a low outcrop, and can be seen from the road among the surrounding trees. This castle was built by Sean McNamara in the latter part of the 15th century, but by 1641 it had passed out of the McNamara family and was owned by a [[Dutch people|Dutch]] Protestant.

Further south, on the banks of the River Shannon, is the site of Castle Donnell or Cratloemore Castle, though now little of the ruins are left. This was once one of the biggest castles in Cratloe, being used by the McNamaras as a trading post because of its location on the [[River Shannon]] and its proximity to both [[Bunratty]] and [[Limerick]]. In 1730 most of this castle was destroyed and the stones were used to build Cratloe Wood House, the only example of an Irish longhouse still lived in by a family.

On the western slopes of Woodcock Hill, towards [[Sixmilebridge]], the ruins of Ballintlea Castle lie in a farmyard. All of these castles are recorded as being built by the [[Clan MacNamara|MacNamara]] clan, one of the most powerful families in the [[Kingdom of Thomond]].<ref name="Castles in Cratloe"/>