Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle

The National Monuments Service's description

Strategically located on E bank of the River Suck in Ballinasloe town, it commands an ancient crossing point (GA088-047----). The present ruins, dating from late medieval times, possibly stand on or close to the 'castle' built by Turlough O'Conor in 1124 (Leask 1977, 6) and the 'castle of Suicin' (Egan 1960, 32-3) built by the Anglo-Normans in 1245. Egan (ibid. 1, 83) states that the present castle was built by 'Tadhg O'Kelly, chief of Hy Many' in the 14th C. In 1572, it was held by the Earl of Clanricarde but in 1579 it was taken over by the crown (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 118). What survives is a rectangular crenellated bawn wall (GA088-040002-), in fair condition (N-S 54.5m, E-W 506.m, average H 4.5m), with a wall-walk and circular turret at SW corner. A 19th-century house (GA088-040001-) and associated outhouses have been built within the interior and, as a result, no visible surface trace of the castle survives. The remains of an arched gateway, in the centre of E wall, may mark the original bawn entrance. A keystone (GA088-04003-) dated 1597, inscribed with the name 'Anthony Braklon' and now lying to E of the house, was originally situated above the gate. The bawn is very heavily overgrown with ivy and the crenellations are only evident on W and N walls. Modern doorways have been inserted in E and W ends of N wall. The turret (D 2.45m) is three storeys high. Access is gained via a rectangular doorway on ground floor. The interior is lit by two small windows: some gun loops are also visible; there is a fireplace flue on 1st floor. The bawn is flanked on E and W sides by watercourses marked on OS 6-inch maps as 'Mill Race'. While these were undoubtedly designed to supply the 18th-19-C 'Corn Mill (in Ruins)', shown on OS 6-inch maps immediately to SE, they may be medieval in origin. (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 527-30; Egan 1960, 69-70; Kerrigan 1980, 135)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999).

Date of upload: 05 August 2010