This was the original banquet hall and audience chamber of the Earls of Thomond. It is of noble proportions, 48 feet high, 48 feet long and 30 feet wide. The floor is paved with marble squares and raised at the south end to form a dais on which stood a high table and the Earl’s Seat of Estate. There is no chimney and the smoke from the central fire escaped through a louvre in the roof. This fine oak roof is an enlarged copy of one of the few medieval oak roofs left in Ireland. The original mid-15th century roof is at Dunsoghly Castle, Dublin.
The furnishings of the Great Hall are mainly 15th and 16th century. On the left as you enter is an important 16th century oak chest. To the right is the Earl’s Buttery. Wine and drink could be served by a butler who was also guardian of the head of the stairs. On the shelves is a fine collection of leather blackjacks, drinking vessels, wine bottles and large leather bombards. On the right hand side of the buttery hangs a carved figure of St. George and the Dragon with original late15th century South German gilding.
Below there is a French Renaissance Buffet dated late 15th century. The brass alms dish is early 17th century German. On the east wall over the doorway hangs a full-length painting on a wooden panel c.1601. The elegant young man wears slashed doublet and hose with enlarged pompoms or garters on his shoes.
The northeast window recess next to the staircase has two very interesting stones; the first bearing typical Renaissance details dates to 1597. This is evidently part of the Great Earl’s restoration. On the other stone is carved the figure of one of the famous Irish Sile na Gig. Above this figure is a fine oak late 15th century Rhenish carving showing the conversion of St. Hubert kneeling before the crucifix between the horns of the now vanished stag. On the right Hubert is depicted as Bishop of Liege.
Moving around the room in a clockwise direction we come to an important example of a 15th century oak wall bench with linenfold panels and carved crestings with Renaissance decoration between the crockets.
Over the bench hangs a fine Brussels tapestry, mid 16th century woven in brilliant colours illustrating the story of David and Absalom. On the right is a 16th century iron clock on a stand, the bell supported in a crocketed framework and with pierced Gothic decoration above the dial. Looking upwards over the communion opening to the public chapel is a 15th century Spanish altarpiece ‘triptych’ by the Lanaja Master depicting St. Peter enthroned, flanked by four of the Apostles. Beneath stands an oak sword chest late 16th / early 17th century.
To the left hand side of the south-facing window is a hutch cupboard, French 15th century on which stands a large brass charger, or Rosewater dish 17th century with figure of Diana the Huntress. Above is a panel of 16th century Enghien tapestry. The standard dating to the same period with its original polychrome decoration is to the left of the two chairs, the larger of which is late 15th century. The standard was used to support the emblem or coat of arms of the reigning lord.
In the window is a Gothic hunting horn with brass mounts and a 15th century “bearing sword” or a sword of estate by which a prince or a nobleman declared his right to sit in judgement. Overhead on the south wall are the remains of decorative plaster work. (Somewhat similar decorations occur on the famous frieze in Wolsey’s closet at Hampton Court in England, which was designed by an Italian named Damiano. He completed the Hampton Court frieze about 1530. It is interesting to see the same type of design still in use in Ireland 50 or 60 years later.)
The Enghien tapestry panel on the right hand side of the window is 16th century and below is an early 16th century oak cupboard, the upper portion consists of six panels with heads and rondels, circa 1525. The fine brass basin is 13th century, considered to be very rare, is decorated with typical designs, with a circular inscription. Below is a small 16th century document box. On the dais is an important oak refectory table, 22 feet long, the oak top being of one piece, c. 1620.
The tapestry on the right hand wall is French, 16th century and depicts the Fountain of Life. Underneath it stands a mid 16th century walnut chest from Spain. On the west wall is part of an early 16th century tapestry depicting the Triumph of Charlemagne, of ‘The Nine Heroes’ series. Below the tapestry stands an elaborately carved oak dower cupboard from Westphalia, German c.1570. The door ornamented with religious scenes, the ‘Annunciation’, the ‘Nativity’, the ‘Last Supper’, ‘Christ before the High Priest’, ‘Christ before Pilate’. Beside is an early 17th century three-tiered buffet. In the window embrasure of the west wall is a French woodcarving, two panel’s early 16th century, depicting hunting scenes. Over the doorway to the kitchen is a 16th century carving of St. Martin of Tours on horseback. (The horse is of a later date). The late 16th century tapestry on the gable wall over the entrance door was woven in Brussels. It depicts a royal personage in the chariot with suppliant figures of a man and woman kneeling before him on the right.
The antlers over the tapestry are of the giant Irish elk which wandered the land more than 12,000 years ago before the advent of man in Ireland. These have been recovered from the Irish boglands where they were preserved for posterity.
