castles historical ireland

Some 7km along the road to Tuam, near Castletown House, is the site of the ancestral home of the Lally's, Tollendal (of Tullynadaly) Castle.
One member of the family, the celebrated Baron Lally, Marechal de France, made strenuous attempts to drive the English from India.
He failed and was executed by Louis xv as a traitor, but afterwards his name was cleared, and is inscribed in the Arch De Triomphe in Paris....

It is said that in 1236 Rohesia de Verdun fortified a castle here on her own lands 'which none of her predecessors had been able to do'. Legend says that she promised herself in marriage to the architect if she liked the castle when it was built. But when he came to claim her hand as a reward, she had him thrown out of the window - an explanation for one of the windows which is still called 'the murder window'! But old legend notwithstanding, the castle was probably built by Rohesia's son Joh...

Known as the Castle of the Curlews, this castle was built around 1590 to protect the pass over the Curlew Hills. It was garrisoned by a Constable and ten wardens from 1610 to 1626 and, after a stout resistance, had to surrender in 1641 due to lack of water.

The plan of the castle is modelled on those of 13th century castles, with a small central square block dwarfed by four massive towers at the corners which are round outside and square inside....

It's entered by a gate-house, with corbelled turrets of Scottish type. To the right on entering are the pillars of a unique open loggia in the Italian style, which must have become redundant when the Great Hall was built up against it early in the 17th century. This two-storeyed hall, with fine (partially reconstructed) windows to the west, is a gracious building with finely moulded stones at parapet level which once supported the long-vanished roof. Beyond are kitchens and domestic quarters,...

The old 17th Century O' Toole castle has been modernised and is privately owned.
A British garrison occupied the castle during the 1798 rebellion and there is a memorial to 36 rebels who were executed following the uprising. The Croghan Valley is a very scenic drive which dips into Wexford and runs below Croghan Mountain to Coolgreany while Holt's Way Drive runs through the village....

This castle was once the club-house of Monkstown Golf-club, from 1908 to 1971.  At the moment the castle is under reconstruction and will not be finished until April 2009!

This castle was built by Anastasia Archdeacon, nee Gould, about 1636.
She built it while her husband was away at sea, and having deducted the cost of the mason's board and lodgings from the total cost, she found she had only paid 4d for the whole castle.

It consists of a...

The present massive tower, or donjon, was originally one of three towers interspersed in the curtain wall of a strong Norman castle which was also guarded by two semicircular towers and a gatehouse (parts of which remain to the south of the tower). The tower has 5 storeys, and the walls are up to 20 feet thick. A southern window-niche opening off the second floor has Romanesque decoration on the inside, while there is early Gothic decoration on a chimney piece in the floor above.

The...

Ballaghmore Castle (1480) was the chief seat of the Mac Gillpatricks (Fitzpatricks) Lords of the Upper Ossory. It's strategically placed on the Bealach Mor, the great road to Munster. Partially destroyed by Cromwellians in 1647 it came into possession of the Cootes who leased it to the Elys. Richard Ely, financed by a hoard of gold found on his land, partially restored it in the 1830s. Ely was murdered by a tenant, and the castle was neglected.

It was bought by the present owners...

Talbot Castle or St. Mary's Abbey as it is also known is an adapted Augustinian Priory and was used in the eighteenth century as an exclusive Protestant school. It was here that the then Arthur Wellesley was educated. The castle can still be seen on the north bank of the Boyne, facing the Norman fortress....

Moycarkey Castle was a Cantwell fortress, consisting of tower house, 7.6m high bawn walls with small towers in opposite corners....