About 3km southeast of Quin is stately Knappogue Castle & Walled Garden, built in 1467 by the MacNamaras, who held sway over a large part of Clare from the 5th to mid-15th centuries and, like early fast-food franchisers, littered the region with 42 castles. Knappogue's walls are intact, and it has a fine collection of period furniture and fireplaces. The formal gardens have been restored.
The castle was confiscated by Cromwellian forces in 1659 and bestowed upon a parliamentarian called Arthur Smith, which is one of the reasons it was spared destruction. The MacNamara family regained the castle after the Restoration in 1660 and it was finally restored by a Texan after he purchased it in 1966. Knappogue also hosts touristy medieval banquets.
