As mentioned previously the McNamara's lived for many years at Doolin House, the remains of which still stand today, about a half mile west of Doolin Cross, past Aille River Hostel and O' Connors Farmhouse B&B and Campsite. It is on the right hand site of this road and on the left of the road stands the remains of the old Royal Irish Constabulary barracks. Doolin House was burned by the British forces in 1920 as a retaliation for the shooting of the High Sheriff of Clare, H. Valentine McNamara. Valentine's son Francis was a republican, while the father was a loyalist. Francis in turn was the father of Caitlin Thomas (nee McNamara), who was married to the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Caitlin died in Sicily - where she had lived for a number of years - in 1994. She is buried beside her husband at Laugharne in Wales. Francis also had one son, John McNamara, who died in the early 1960s. He was married but did not have any family, and as such with his death this branch of the McNamara family became extinct on the male side.

One interesting detail in the history of the McNamaras of Doolin is the fact that William Nugent, known as the Major McNamara was the first choice of the Catholic Association to stand in the famous Clare election in 1828. He refused to stand on the grounds that he was under certain obligations to Vesy Fitzgerald; who would have been his opponent. It was only after "the Major" refused to go forward that Daniel O'Connell offered himself as a candidate and then went on the win the election. Major McNamara was at that time the High Sheriff of Clare.

It is worth noting here that the McNamaras also had a residence in Ennistymon. This former residence is now the Falls Hotel.