aughnanure castle

A fine castle built by the O'Flahertys around 1500. It is a six-storey tower with a good fireplace on the 3rd storey and a vault over the 4th. The roof is a good modern reconstruction. There are two corner bartizans on the 3rd floor.

The castle is unusual in having two bawns. The inner one is well preserved along the riverside and has a rounded turret with a fine corbelled roof at the south-western corner. The outer bawn also has a turret at the south-western corner, and encloses the 16th century banqueting hall, most of which collapsed on to the originally underground river below (now dry because its course has been changed recently).

On the interior of the window of the banqueting hall there are some slightly stiff vine-scrolls and other decorative motifs. The castle was destroyed by Sir Edward Fitton in 1572. James 1 granted it to Hugh O'Flaherty in 1618, and his family held it until they were expelled towards the end of the century.