ballynahich castle

About 12km out of Clifden on the Galway Road is the turn right for Toombeola. Some 5km along this road is Ballynahich Castle, now a hotel, but once the home of the great Martin family, who owned and ruled Connemara from 1700 to the period of the Great Famine (1845-47).

Here was born Richard Martin, the duellist and lover of animals, once known as - Hair-trigger Dick- by George IV because he was instrumental in founding the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The castle was owned by Prince Ranjit Sinjhi, an Indian cricketer, from 1926 until his death in 1933.