Craggaunowen

The Living Past Experience

The open-air museum was started by John Hunt. 

It features reconstructions of ancient Irish architecture, including a Dolmen, a Crannog, and a Currach boat used in Tim Severins recreation of "The Voyage of St. Brendan the Abbie". It also shows reconstructions of a Ringfort, Fulachta Fia (Bronze Age cooking and industrial site) and Standing Stone (Ogham Stone).

The "You Are Here" Map



The Craggaunowen Gift Shop is an historic Irish Cottage.
It was cool enough for an early morning fire in the fireplace.

It smelled wonderful in the forest.

Our tour began with a short walk from the gift shop to the Craggaunowen Castle.

It was built around 1550 by John MacSioda MacNamara, a descendent of Sioda MacNamara, who built Knappogue Castle in 1467.

It was left in ruins and without a roof or staircase in the 17th century.

Tom Steele, a confederate of Daniel O'Connell, had it rebuilt in the early 1800s.



Woven materials are displayed.