castles historical mayo

A small 15th century castle beside an inlet of the sea. It has a vaulted stone roof about half-way up its height, and access to the roof must have been by means of a wooden ladder through a hatchway in the vault. Though associated with the famous sea-pirate Grace O'Malley, it was probably built before her time, very probably by one of her ancestors. There are the remains of an old boat-slip outside the castle, as well as traces of the original bawn....

A fine 15th or 16th century tower beautifully situated beside an inlet of Clew Bay. it has four storeys and a corner turret, as well as a fireplace on the top floor. It is said to have been besieged by an expedition sent from Galway in 1574, but the invasion was driven off by Grace O'Malley who lived there after the death of her second husband, Sir Richard Burke, in 1583. She retired to the castle with 'all her own followers and 1,000 head of cows and mares'....

The remains of a once fine 13th century castle, built by the Mac Jordans. The curtain wall encloses an area roughly hexagonal in shape which contains the foundations of a number of buildings. The wall probably dates to the early years of the 13th century, but the two rounded gate-bastions, of which only one remains, were built around 1260....

A 15th century three-storey tower, one half of which has fallen away. The tower stands in a polygonal bawn with square turrets. A building in the south-east of the bawn was apparently added later. The castle was owned in 1574 by the MacDonnells who had been mercenaries in the Burke armies. In 1596 Brabazon, Clanrickard and Darcy captured the castle but evacuated it shortly afterwards on hearing of the approach of Red Hugh O'Donnell. It remained in MacDonnell hands until bought by Sir Benjam...

Kildownet Castle was owned by the infamous Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen of the 16th century, who refused to bow in the presence of Queen Elizabeth I because she regarded her as an equal....

On one side of the river is a 13th century church incorporating a square belfry at the western end. The remains of three lancet windows can be seen in the east wall. On the other side of the river is a castle which is not in the best of condition but has two corner fireplaces and tall profiled chimney stacks. The castle was built in the 16th century by the Burkes; in 1574 it was in the possession of MacWilliam Eighter' (Sir John fitz Oliver Burke)....

Nothing is known about the early history of the island, but in 1220 the Cistercians from Knockmoy, Co. Galway (q.v.) established a cell here. The 'Abbey' church consists of a nave and chancel as well as a sacristy. There were other buildings to the north of the church, but these have vanished. The church does not appear to date from the period of foundation, but from about 1500. The most unusual feature of the church are the paintings in the chancel, which are some of the very few medieval...

The castle was built some time between 1238 and 1300 by de Staunton, one of the Anglo-Norman barons in the following of Richard de Burgo. The present remains consist of a three-storeyed tower standing in a strongly fortified bawn with one rounded corner turret. Much of the present building would appear to be of 15th century date, but it undoubtedly incorporates older fragments. The family who built it later took on the name of M'Evilly, and they held it until at least 1574.

. Some tim...