Abbeyglen Castle - Clifden
The Abbeyglen Castle was built in 1832 by John d'Arcy of Clifden Castle, 33 years before Mitchell Henry built Kylemore Abbey in 1865. D'Arcy, who founded Clifden in 1812, was considered a leader of the community and was frequently consulted by the local constabulary in time of trouble or unrest. Following D'Arcy's death, his son Mitchen sold the property to the Irish Church Mission Society in 1854.

Anbally Castle - Corofin
Anbally Castle was a 15th century castle and bawn of the Burke family. It was formerly known as Tavenagh Castle.

Annaghdown Castle
Annaghdown Castle was erected on the east shore of Lough Corrib by the O'Flaherties in the late 14th century.

Ardamullivan Castle - Gort
The O'Shaughnessey's old stronghold at Ardamullivan south of Gort. Nicely restored, now it's a National Monument and in great shape. Built in 1567.

Ardrahan Castle
Ardrahan Castle was the centre of a 13th century centre of the O'Heynes family, later becoming a manor of the Norman FitzGerald family. Built 1250

Ashford Castle - Cong
Ashford Castle is a medieval castle near Cong in County Mayo on the shore of Lough Corrib. The castle was built in the 13th century by the Anglo-Norman de Bugos family, after their defeat of the O'Connors of Connaught.

Athenry Castle
Athenry (deBermingham's Castle) is one of the most notable medieval walled towns surviving in Ireland, owing its foundation to Meiler de Bermingham who built his Castle there c.1250. deBermingham's Castle is now a restored National Monument.

Aughnanure Castle - Oughterard
Built by the O'Flahertys c. 1500, Aughnanure Castle lies in picturesque surroundings close to the shores of Lough Corrib. Standing on what is virtually a rocky island, the Castle is a particularly well-preserved example of an Irish tower house. In addition, visitors will find the remains of a banqueting hall, a watch tower, an unusual double bawn and bastions and a dry harbour.

Ballinfad Castle
Ballinfad Castle was a Martin family reconstruction of an old 15th century O'Flaherty stronghold in Connemara. Now restored for hotel use.

Ballynahinch Castle - Recess, Connemara
Ballynahinch Castle is steeped in a wealth of tradition and has been intertwined in the history of Connemara and its people for many centuries. From the days of the O'Flaherty Chieftains, to Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen of Connemara, to Humanity Dick Martin, founder of the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and to H.R.H. the Maharajah Ranjitsinji, also known as the 'Ranji', Prince of Cricketeers.

Ballinderry Castle
Ballinderry, south of Tuam, is a very late tower house of the 17th century. Now being restored. Has a Sheela na Gig over front door.

Ballindooley Castle
Ballindooley Castle is just outside Galway City, and it's another Burke house. It had the distinction of having been shelled by the British gunboat Helga during the 1916 rising. Recently restored and plastered, it's being lived in again.

Ballinduff Castle
Ballinduff, on the lakeshore close to Headford, was a 14c Burke house which passed to the Skerret family. Situated amidst the remains of a monastic settlement.

Ballybrit Castle
Ballybrit Castle was a small deBurgo castle on the outskirts of the town of Galway. That's Ballybrit racecourse in the background.

Ballybroder Castle
Ballybroder, close to Loughrea, is a fairly plain tower house of the Burkes, from the 16th century.

Ballykine Castle - Clonbur
Ballykine Castle near Clonbur was the home of the Kyne family, who held sway in this area.

Ballylee Castle
Ballylee Castle (Thoor Ballylee) in south Galway. Fully restored, it is a fine example of a 14c Irish Tower House erected by the deBurgos. W.B. Yates lived here for a time in the 1920's.

Ballylin Castle
Ballylin is a small Burke tower house from the 15th century, close to Craughwell. Now quite ruined.

Ballymore Castle
Ballymore Castle in Lawrencetown was originally a Madden tower house of the 15th century, to which a house was added in 1620 and much altered since. Ballymore Castle was built by John Lawrence in year 1585.

Barnaderg Castle
Barnaderg Castle is close to the town of Tuam, and was a 16th century stronghold of the O'Kelly clan.

Blakes Castle
Blakes Castle in the heart of Galway City, was a 15th century town house of the Blakes. Used later as a town jail up to the 19th century, it is now restored as part of an hotel.

Brackloon Castle
Brackloon castle near Clonfert, was a 15c O'Madden stronghold. It was a scene of slaughter when the garrison were thrown off the battlements in 1651.

Bunowen Castle
Bunowen Castle was a development of an earlier 18c fortified mansion. The Geoghegan family erected it, although it passed to the Blakes in later years.

Caherdangan Castle
Caherdangan, or Strongfort, was another 15c Burke house close to Craughwell. Now restored and lived in.

Cahererillan
Cahererillan, on the Clare border, is another O'Shaughnessy Tower House of the 14th century - this one was 6 floors.

Caislean na Circe - Lough Corrib
Castlekirk was a very early Irish castle of the O'Flaherty clan, dating from the 12th century. Built upon a peninsular island in Lough Corrib, it was almost impregnable.

Carrigín Castle
Carrigín castle on the North-east shore of Lough Corrib. Don't let the plaster fool you - it's an authentic late 13c Manor Castle, in perfect condition. Lived in continuously for 700 years, mostly by the Gaynard family.

Cashlaundarragh
Cashlaundarragh was a 15th century O'Kelly castle in the Monivea area; now very ruined.

Castledaly
Castledaly, not far from Gort, home to the Daly family. The 18c house incorporated a 15c tower house, originally known as Corbally.

Castlegar Castle
Castlegar Castle on the outskirts of Galway city was the main Clanricard (Richard deBurgo) residence before they moved to Portumna Castle in 1618. This was a 14c tower house.

Castlehackett - Belclare, Tuam
Hackets Castle, close to Tuam, was home of the Hackett family at first; later of the Kirwans after the Cromwellian settlement.

Castle Taylor
Castle Taylor was a 16th century tower house formerly known as Ballymcgrath. The Taylor family added to it & much altered it. It was inhabited up to the 1930's.

Castletown Castle
Cromwell's artillery left very little of 13c Castletown castle in the 1650's. You'll find it near Kiltartan in South Galway. Lady Gregory loved this place. South of Gort, there are very extensive ruins.

Claregalway Castle
Claregalway Castle, on the River Clare. The Coogans should have an affinity for this one. Another 15 century Clanricard castle.

Clooneen Castle
Clooneen Castle was a 14th century tower house, part of the manor of Headford.

Cloonacauneen Castle - Claregalway
Cloonacauneen Castle is a beautiful 15th century Norman castle situated on outskirts of Galway city. Fully restored and lived in.

Clifden Castle
Clifden Castle was erected by John D'Arcy in 1815 to oversee the construction of Clifden town in Connemara.

Cloghan Castle - Loughrea
Cloghan Castle, close to Loughrea, has recently been restored. You can now rent it out & stay for a while. It was built 1247 by the deBurgo family on an early incursion into Connacht.

Clondegoff Castle
Clondegoff castle backs onto the Shannon river. It was the scene of an infamous eviction in the 1880's, having been inhabited up to then since the late 15th century. Happily, it is now also being restored.

Cloughballymore
Cloughballymore was a tower house of the Kilkelly family in the 16th century. Later fell to the Blakes, who added a mansion to it which is still in use.

Corofin Castle
Corofin Castle was built in 1451 for Emelina deBurgo, and was part of the manor of Headford.

Creagh Castle
Creagh castle was a massive early tower house, immensely strong. Much plundered for cut stone, but the fabric is still in good condition.

Cregg Castle
Cregg Castle was built by the Kirwan family in 1648, and is said to be the last fortified mansion built west of the Shannon. This is still inhabited, and operates as an hotel.

Creganna Castle
Creganna Castle was a 15th century O'Heynes castle which fell to the Reddingtons. Long a ruin, it is recently restored as a private dwelling.

Derrydonnel
Derrydonnel More is a massive 15 century deBurgo keep, surrounded by intricate fortifications.

Derryhivenny Castle - Portumna
Derryhivenny Castle was erected by Donal O'Madden in 1643, and was their principle seat. This was the scene of many battles.

Derrymacloughna Castle
Derrymacloughna Castle was another Burke tower house of the 15th century, which had a house extension at one time. Now ruined, there is a medieval church nearby.

Drumharsna Castle
Drumharsna is an early 16th century tower built by Shane Ballagh, one of the Kilkelly family. It later fell to the Trench family, and was in use up to the 1920's.

Dunamon Castle
Dunamon Castle was originally built in the 12th century by the O'Finnaghy clan. It changed hands many times, and is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited building in Ireland.

Dunguaire Castle ; Kinvara
The castle, which overlooks Galway, is a 16th century castle. From April to September the castle comes alive with medieval banquets, which feature a theatrical performance involving rhyme, verse music and song. The castle shop has a crafts shop and visitors centre. 

Dunmore Castle
Dunmore castle was another deBermingham fortification of the mid 13c. Built in 1225, and lived in by them until the early 19th century. Similar to Athenry in many ways.

Dunsandle Castle
Dunsandle is an imposing 15th century tower house formerly on the estates of the Daly family. Presently under restoration.

Feartagar Castle - Tuam
Feartagar Castle, or Castlegrove, northwest of Tuam, is another Burke Castle of the 15th century. Abandoned since the 1650's. It's also referred to locally as Jennings Castle.

Fiddaun Castle
Fiddaun was the massively fortified stronghold of the O'Shaughnessy clan. Built in the 15th century upon what was then a island, now drained land. Still in good condition & very impressive.

Garbally Castle
Garbally was a 15th century O'Kelly tower house, demolished by Cromwell & never repaired.

Glinsk Castle
Glinsk Castle, in the North East corner of County Galway. One of the many deBurgo mansions, this one by Ulick Burke from 1615, reputed to be the last castle built in this country.

Grange Castle
Grange was the castle of Walter Bui de Burgo, and was built in the 15th century.

Headford Castle
Headford Castle was built by the Skerritt family, one of the 14 tribes of Galway.

Iserrkelly Castle - Kilchreest, Loughrea
Isserkelly was originally a 14th century O'Kelly stronghold, which later became the main residence of the McHubert Burke family from the 16th century.

Kilcolgan Castle
Kilcolgan Castle is located on the banks of the Kilcolgan River, over-looking Galway Bay. The castle which dates from the 11th Century was rebuilt by the St. George Family in the late 18th Century. It has been extensively but sensitively refurbished by the late Hon. W.N. Gustafson von Hillerstamm and now hosted by his daughter Karen.

Kilcornan House
Kilcornan was originally a 16th century castle of Ulick deBurgo. The Reddington family built a fine mansion around it in the 1830's, incorporating the old tower in it's fabric.

Killeen Castle
Killeen Castle was built by Redmond Burke in the mid 1500's. Still inhabited.

Kilmacduagh
Kilmacduagh was another early fortified house of the Hall House model from the 13th century.

Kilrogue Castle
Kilrogue castle is another Burke tower house, located on the Clare river close to Claregalway.

Kinlough Castle
Kinlough castle is a late 17th century tower house, located near an monastic settlement on the Black river.

Kylemore Castle
Kylemore Castle was built in 1864 by Mitchell Henry. Now a convent school run by the Benedictine Order of Nuns from Ypres.

Lackagh Castle
Lackagh was built by the Burkes in the 14th century, and was owned by the Henry FitzEdmond branch of the family. Now ruined.

Lackafinna Castle
Lackafinna was a 16th century tower house of the Earls of Clanricard family, now very ruined.

Lismore Castle
Lismore was the principle seat of the O'Maddens in the 15th century; it later passed to the Burkes, and later to the Daly family who added a large mansion to it. Now quite ruined.

Longford Castle
Longford was another O'Madden fortress from the 15th century, which saw many battles in its environs.

Lough Cutra Castle - Gort
Lough Cutra Castle and Estate has a long and varied history. The countryside surrounding Lough Cutra contains much evidence of a history dating back to the Tuatha Da Danaans. Evidence of old churches, cells and monasteries are prolific in the area and a number of the islands on the lake contain the remnants of stone alters.
 
Lydacan Castle
Lydacan was an O'Heynes fortress in South Galway from the 14th century, later falling to the Lynch family.

Lynch's Castle
Lynch's castle in the heart of Galway town was the 15th century town house of the Lynch family. Now used as a Bank building.

Mannin Castle
Mannin Castle, or Ballymannin, was an early tower house of the Burkes, built in several stages. Parts are in good condition.

Menlo Castle
Menlo Castle was built in 1569, and was the main home of the Blake family, until it tragically burned down in 1910.

Merlin Park
Merlin Park, formerly Doughiska Castle, was an O'Connor castle of the 16th century. Still in good condition, it was lived in to the mid-19th century.

Monivea Castle
Monivea was an O'Kelly castle of the 15th century, which later became part of the Ffrench mansion. Inhabited until the mid 20th century.

Moyveela
Moyveela is a much ruined early tower house, probably of the Burkes.

Moylough Castle
Moylough Castle is an very early Hall House of the 13th century. Now quite ruined.

Moyne Castle
Moyne castle was a 16th century castle built on the Black river on the Mayo border, to which a much later mansion was added. Both are now ruined.

Moyode Castle
Moyode Castle was another tall Tower House of the Burkes, which went to the Persse family. Now restored and inhabited.

Newtown Castle
Newtown Castle is unusual in that it is nearly circular; built near the Clare border by Sir John Perrot in the mid 16th century.

O'Brien's Castle
O'Brien's Castle on Inis Oírr in the Aran Islands was built in the 14th century. The castle was taken from the O'Briens by the O'Flaherty clan of Connemara in 1582.

Oranmore Castle
Oranmore Castle was built sometime round the fifteenth century possibly on the site of an older castle. It was a stronghold of the Clanricardes who were a prominent Norman family of Galway.

Pallas Castle - Tynagh
Possibly the best-preserved tower-house in a county which has many well-preserved examples. The tower is 5 storeys high, with the third storey vaulted. Beside having a guard's room, and a 'dog's hole', the ground floor has an oven which was added later.

Parkbaun Castle
Parkbaun was a late 16th century well-equipped Burke tower house, within the Ardrahan manor area.

Portumna Castle
The great semi-fortifed house at Portumna was built before 1618 by Richard Burke or de Burgo, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. There are exhibitions in the castle and Gate House. Guided tours of the gardens and part of the castle are available on request.

Renville Castle
Renville castle is now part of a recreation park area near Oranmore, and is fully restored. The Athy family lived here up to 1819, and it was previously owned by the Lynch & Burke families.

Renvyle Castle
Renvyle Castle on the northern shore of Connemara faces the Atlantic. It was an O'Flaherty castle, passing into the hands of the Blakes for a time.

Riverville Castle
Riverville was one of three tower houses in close proximity, being a residence of the Bourkes from the 16th century

Shrule Castle
Shrule Castle, on the Black river at the Mayo border, was part of a manor granted by Richard deBurgo to his son John in 1308

Tullira Castle
Tulira Castle was originally a McHubert Burke Castle of the 15th century, to which the Martin Family added a mansion in the 1870's. Tullira Castle is private property.

Turloughcartron Castle
Turloughcartron was a subsidiary castle in the manor of Headford, and dates from the 14th century.
 

See Tribes of Galway
See Sheela na Gig in County Galway