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 | | Ardrahan, a charming village on the N18, with a wide market square and cross, still retains much of its rural charm, despite the passing traffic. |
 | | The O’Heynes, or Hynes, Lords of Aidhne, had their stronghold here in ancient times and, with the help of other Irish clans, inflicted a terrible defeat on the Normans in 1225, a feat still recalled in that rousing song, The West’s Awake. |
 | | However, in 1236, Richard de Burgo, after successfully conquering County Galway, granted Ardrahan to Maurice Fitzgerald who built a stone castle, the ruins of which lie just north of the village. |
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