Rickard de Bermingham - Lord of Athenry

Lord of Athenry

He succeeded his father, Peter, around 1309. He had land around the Moy in northern Connacht, but his main estate lady between Dunmore and Athenry in what is now County Galway, the caput of the lordship been based at the latter town. Immediately due east was the Gaelic kingdom of Ui Maine, which had only been lightly settled by the Anglo-Irish, mainly along the border between it and the lordship.

In 1310 he obtained a murage charter, to enable him to enclose Athenry in stone walls. When finished, they enclosed over one hundred acres on the west bank of the Clarin river, making it one of the largest walled towns in Ireland. Over two-thirds of the walls still remain, almost unique for a town of medieval Ireland and Great Britain. Some six round watch-towers were included in the walls, most of which survive in some form, two exceptionally well-preserved.

He also extended and raised Athenry Castle. When work was completed c. 1315, it stood over three stories and had a vaulted roof, thought to be slated as thatch would make it vulnerable to lighting, fire-arrows, and accident. It was situated at the north edge of the town, overlooking the Tuam and Monivea roads. It was abandoned by Rickard's descedents c. 1550, but the stone work survived almost intact. It was refurbished and re-roofed in 1990 and is at present open to the public.

Finally, he incorporated the Clarin into the town moat, and built a number of tower-gates along the wall. The total number is uncertain but it is thought there were around four. Only one partially restored gate, the North Gate, now survives, though it may date from as much as one hundred years later.