49
Census Records
9
Households
2
Census Years
- People
- 18
- Households
- 4
- People
- 31 +72.2%
- Households
- 5 +25%
About
Castlebank is a small townland located in County Clare in the west of Ireland, situated within the broader landscape of the county's distinctive terrain. The area is characterized by the rolling countryside typical of mid-Clare, with pastoral farmland and stone field boundaries that reflect centuries of agricultural use. The townland's name derives from the presence of a castle or fortified structure historically associated with the locality, a naming convention common throughout Ireland where many small settlements preserve references to medieval defensive buildings. The landscape around Castlebank is representative of the transitional zone between Clare's more rugged western coastal regions and its more gently undulating eastern reaches.
The history of Castlebank, like much of County Clare, is intertwined with the broader patterns of Irish settlement, land tenure, and social change. The townland system itself, of which Castlebank forms a part, represents a legacy of medieval and early modern Irish land divisions. The area would have been subject to the various waves of conquest, colonization, and landlordism that characterized Irish history, with ownership and use of the land changing hands through different political and social upheavals. The survival of the townland name itself indicates continuity of settlement and local identity across several centuries.
As a small rural townland, Castlebank's contemporary significance lies primarily in its role within the local community and agricultural economy of County Clare. Like many Irish townlands, it represents a level of geographic and social organization that remains meaningful to residents and in local heritage discussions, even as the broader context of rural Irish life has transformed dramatically over recent decades. The townland system continues to be used for administrative, genealogical, and cultural purposes, making places like Castlebank valuable reference points for those researching Irish ancestry or local history.
Source: AI generated
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- Parish
- County
-
Irish Name
Caisleán an Chalaidh
-
Barony
Bunratty Lower
- Logainm
Annals of the Four Masters
Historical references from O'Donovan's edition (1848–51)
The Annals of the Four Masters record Castlebank (Irish: Caislen-an-chalaidh) in 2 entries between AD 1475 and AD 1527.
Medieval
Early Modern
Source: Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, ed. John O'Donovan (1848–51). Public domain.
Valuation Office Records
From the National Archives of Ireland (c. 1830s–1850s)
2 occupiers recorded in the Valuation Office Books for this townland.
Source: Valuation Office Books, National Archives of Ireland. Public records.
Townland Location
OpenStreetMapDetails
- English
- Castlebank
- Irish
- Caisleán an Chalaidh
- Parish
- Saint Patrick's
- Barony
- Bunratty Lower
- County
- Clare