The
River Maigue is tidal as far as Adare, with the settlement forming around the eastern bank of the Maigue overlooking the
fording point from which the village gets its name. An annalistic reference is made in the medieval
Annals of Inisfallen at AI982.4 "The Tree of Mag Adar was broken by
Leth Cuinn". Owing to the strategic importance of the river crossing the Desmond castle was built overlooking the site near Ardshanbally (derived from
Ard an tSeanbhaile - 'high ground of the old town'), and was first mentioned in 1226. Historically a market town, in the
Middle Ages, Adare had three monasteries. On 7 June 1996, Detective Garda Jerry McCabe
was killed by members of the
Provisional IRA, during the attempted robbery of a post office van in the town.
Desmond Castle A castle or fortress is said to have first been built with an ancient ring-fort, by the
O'Donovans, rulers of the region into the 12th century, and afterwards to have passed into the possession of the Kildare branch of the
FitzGerald dynasty, who may be responsible for the majority of the remains of the present fortress (which occurred with
Croom Castle, also on the Maigue). Desmond Castle, as it is popularly known (after the FitzGeralds of Desmond), stands on the north bank of the Maigue. An extensive renovation has been in progress on the castle since 1996 and supervised tours are offered in the summer months. This is one of a series of significant Desmond properties, which also include
Desmond Hall and Castle in
Newcastle West, another castle in
Askeaton and Castle Matrix near
Rathkeale, further west in
County Limerick.
Augustinian Priory Adare's Augustinian Priory was founded in 1316 by
John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare. The Priory was suppressed in the reign of
Henry VIII. In 1807, the church of the Priory was given to the local
Church of Ireland congregation as the parish church. In 1814, the refectory was roofed and converted into a schoolhouse. Between 1852 and 1854, a second restoration of the church was undertaken by Caroline,
Countess of Dunraven.
Franciscan Abbey The
Franciscan friary, also known as the friary of St Michael the Archangel, was founded in
1464 by Thomas Fitz-Maurice, 7th
Earl of Kildare and his wife Joan, and completed two years later. It is currently a ruin and is located inside the Adare Manor Golf Club. The main street combines typical Irish architecture with the English styled buildings and infrastructure purpose-built for the Dunraven estate as an
estate village. Examples of the latter architectural forms include the thatched cottages near the entrance to Adare Manor. The later 20th century additions were designed by
Detmar Blow. ==Economy==