At the junction of the R476 and R480, the junction of the Ballyvaughan, Corofin and Kilfenora road, you will see ruins of a 17 th century mansion, incorporating an earlier tower-house structure dating from the 15 th century. In its day, the exterior would have been whitewashed, as a symbol of power on the landscape in its commanding position on the main road to Galway . In the early 1650’s this was the home of one Maire Rua (Red Mary), a formidable lady for that or any other time. She outlived three husbands and in most cases a devoted wife and mother, she lost her second husband to Cromwellian forces but in order to secure the lands for her son, she then married a Cromwellian soldier. Upon making a disparaging remark on the old husband, the new one was promptly flung from the ramparts, the son’s inheritance intact.