ballintober castle

Shortly after the Norman invasion, Ballintober became the chief seat of the O'Conors of Connacht, but the castle was probably not built till around 1300. The castle is nearly square in plan, with an open courtyard in the centre and a strong polygonal tower at each corner. In the east wall there are two projecting turrets which guarded the entrance.

The whole castle was surrounded by a water-filled moat. The castle was taken by another branch of the O'Conors in 1315, and was besieged and burnt a number of times again before 1500. In 1627 the north-western tower was partially rebuilt, as an inscription on a fireplace on the second floor shows. The castle was held by the O Conor Don until 1652 when it was taken by the Cromwellians. But it was restored in 1677 and lived in until the last century.