Aughnanure Castle

Aughnanure Castle is a well preserved tower house castle from the 16th century. Aughnanure was built by the O'Flahertie clan around 1500 and boasts a tower that rises 6 stories above a island formed by the Drimmeen River. The 3rd floor living area had a fine fireplace and 2 turret rooms on the corners. A secret vault is on the 4th floor sleeping quarters. There is a large hall on the 5th floor with big mullioned windows and another fine fireplace. A spiral stairway allows access to all floors in this splendid castle.

Surrounding Aughnanure are 2 courtyards, one overlooking the river. The walled courtyards had 2 small stone buildings (bawns). The one in the foreground has a round "corbelled" roof. The other building housed a banquet hall that had windows surrounded by decorative stone scroll work depicting grapevines. Sadly, most of this building has collapsed due to underground river erosion. The Office of Public Works has taken over Aughnanure Castle for restoration.

Aughnanure - The Field of Yews

The O'Flahertie clan ruled over Aughnanure, along the western shores of Galway, Ireland as early as the 8th century. They are first mentioned in the Annals of the four masters in the year 1024 as being a descendant of the Muinter Murchada and the Ui Briuin clans.

During the Norman invasion, the Annals of the Four Masters records:
"In 1256, Walter De Burgo (Burke), first Earl of Ulster, marched against Roderick O'Flaherty, plundered territories of Gno Mor and Gno Beag, and took possession of the lake, its islands, and castles."

The O'Flaherty clan was able to regain their land by the end of the 1200's. They waged many wars on the English of Galway city, who inscribed on the city walls ''from the fury of the O'Flahertys, good Lord deliver us.''

Around 1569, the property of the O'Flaherty chiefs was captured and came into control of the English. Murrough na Doe O'Flaherty was allowed to stay in residence.

The Connaught Journal in 1840 reported:
The Castle of Aughnanure has passed from the family to whom it originally belonged; but the representative and the chief of his name, Henry Parker O'Flaherty, Esq. of Lemonfield, a descendant in the female line from the celebrated Grania Waille, still possesses a good estate in its vicinity.