castles historical galway

The Castle:

The first castle was built here by de Bermingham about 1225, but it was burned by the sons of the kings of Connacht in 1249, by Fichra O'Flynn in 1284 and by Rory O'Connor in 1315. The present castle was probably built after the last burning. It is a massive rectangular tower of four storeys situated on a motte with the remains of a fortifying wall around it.

The tower is bare inside, and the mullioned windows on the top floor suggest that it was partiall...

Richard de Burgo granted a charter to Meiler de Bermingham in 1235 and shortly afterwards de Bermingham started building his castle at Athenry. It was probably completed by 1250 and consists of a three storey tower surrounded by the remains of a strong outer wall. Among the buildings was a Dominican friary, also built by Meiler, which is now in ruins.
The basement of the tower has a vault carried by three pillars. The door is on the first floor, though the steps leading to it are moder...

Dunguaire Castle has, for hundreds of years, stood proudly on the site of the 7th century stronghold of Guaire, the King of Connaught, its majesty dominating the shore of Galway Bay. The castle was built in 1520 by the O’Hynes clan and it gets its name from the ancient fort of Guaire. This restored 16th century tower house sits on a rocky outcrop on the shores of Galway Bay, 300 yards outside the picturesque village of Kinvara.
The Castle bridges 13 centuries of Irish history, from the...

Thoor Ballylee Castle is a four storey tower dating back to the 16th century, beautifully situated beside a stream. There was much to enchant William Butler Yeats on his first visit to Ballylee in 1885: the old square castle, the little river and the legend of a most beautiful local woman 'Mary Hynes, the Shining Flower of Ballylee.
He eventually bought the medieval tower, which was built by the Norman de Burgo family, with a cottage and garden for the grand sum of IR35.00 in 1916. The...

Known to have been owned by Shane Ballagh in 1574, this is a 16th century tower of five storeys, with the ground and second floor vaulted.
A spiral staircase, as usual, leads to the top. The castle was damaged when it was occupied in 1920....

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 t...

Lynch’s Castle was once the home to the most powerful family in Galway. This incredible limestone building is a fine example of an Irish gothic style. The Lynch Family’s Coat of Arms can still be seen today, as can other proprietors of the house Henry and the Fitzgerald’s of Kildare.
Situated between Shop Street and Abbeygate Street, this castle gives us a rare glimpse of old Galway....

A well-preserved tower built by the de Burgos in the 16th or 17th century. It has four storeys, the second of which is vaulted. There are two staircases in the walls.

It got its name 'Jenning's Castle' because, as tradition states, several of its owners were called Eoin, anglicised John or Jenning. The last occupant who was a lady, was dispossessed by the Cromwellians....

Ballindooley Castle, on the Headford road out from Galway, has been fully restored to its former glory....

A fine mid-16th century tower-house. The first floor is vaulted and has a fireplace. The second floor had a fine room with arcades, and a very good fireplace, inserted in 1604, with a Latin inscription asking that the builder (whose initials were W.H. ) be preserved from all evil.

The stairs leading to this floor is very twisty. The tower stands at the corner of a bawn, foundations of which remain. The castle was built by the MacHubert Burkes, and rebuilt by MacRedmond Burke about 1...