COUNTY MAYO - CASTLES

Ashford Castle

Ashford Castle can be found 45 miles north of Galway on the west coast of Ireland. It is positioned on an isthmus between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask and is surrounded by 350 acres of parkland. The entrance to the castle is over a stone bridge protected by turrets at either side. The castle itself is of grey stone and is a combination of a Norman castle and French chateau, all totally renovated. Its formal and walled gardens stretch out towards the loughs on either side. The Norman castle dates back to 1228 when it was founded by the de Burgo family, they were defeated in a battle in 1589 and lost their home to Lord Ingham governor of Connaught. It was transformed in 1715 by the Oranmore and Browne family with the addition of a French style chateau and in 1852 its owner Sir Benjamin Guinness (of the brewing family) extended the estate to 26,000 acres planting trees and adding a further two Victorian extensions. During this time George V, Prince of Wales and many other important guests stayed with the Guiness family. In the 19th century Arthur Guinness incorporated both the castle and the chateau into the one large building it is today.

Ashford Castle has been used as a high class hotel since 1939 and today is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World group.

Castleburke

Ballintober
A vast estate in county Mayo had been established by Sir Theobald Bourke, 1st Viscount Bourke of Mayo in 1627. However, their estate was confiscated by Cromwell and although part of it was restored, the costs involved in the implementation of their restoration meant that much of the estate had been acquired by Colonel John Browne by the end of the 17th century. Myles, 5th Viscount, and his family were left in possession of Castleburke, parish of Ballintober, barony of Carra and lands in the barony of Murrisk. Bridget Bourke, heiress to John, 8th and last Viscount, married an Englishman, Edmund Lambert, and their son, Aylmer Bourke Lambert, sold his estate to John Browne, 3rd Earl of Altamont, in 1795. He retained Castleburke and 470 acres which he sold in the Landed Estates` Court in 1862. It was purchased by John Griffin for over £1800. From 1821 James Tuohy was the tenant. Castleburke was the property of the Marquesses of Sligo until the late 20th century.

Kildamhnait Castle

Kildavnet, Achill Island
The Tower at Kildavnet, in the south-east corner of Achill Island, is a perfect example of a 15th century Irish tower house. The Gaelic Chiefs of the time copied a Norman design and constructed many such tower houses. The tower at Kildavnet is thought to have been constructed by the Clan O`Malley in about 1429, but is associated locally with a descendant of the original builders, Grace O`Malley or Granuaile. This legendary pirate queen is thought to have been born around 1530 and died in about 1603. The Tower at Kildavnet is one of a series of such strongholds that Granuaile established along the western seaboard (she is said to be buried in a similar tower on Clare Island) as she dominated the waters during the 16th century.

The Tower House at Kildavnet, known locally as Grace O`Malley`s Castle, is some 40 feet in height and has three storeys. The strategic importance of its location, at the mouth of Achill Sound and protecting the passage that connects Clew Bay with Blacksod Bay, is underlined by the fact that the present-day Achill lifeboat station is situated close by. Another neighbour to the Tower, and an historic feature worth a visit in its own right, is the ancient church and cemetery at Kildavnet. The church itself is thought to date from at least the 12th century, though subsequent building has made it difficult to date. Some claims put the original construction as early as the 8th century. The adjacent graveyard contains early medieval gravestones alongside more recent (18th century onwards) graves. This cemetery also contains monuments to two of Achill`s greatest tragedies, the Clew Bay Drowning of 1894 and the Kirkintilloch Fire of 1937.

Rockfleet Castle

near Newport
Rockfleet Castle; or Carraigahowley Castle as it was sometimes known, is situated at the mouth of a small inlet on the northern shores of Clew Bay, 5 miles from Newport. The castle is a small square defensive tower house, built over 4 floors and over 60 feet in height. The site consists of a tower house with a rectangular corner parapet set in open ground. The top floor is reached by a spiral staircase made of stone and is the only room with a fireplace. The castle was built in a medieval style and is one of five along the shores of Clew Bay.

The castle was built in the mid 16th Century and home to Grace O`Malley the `Pirate Queen` and her husband Richard Burke `Richard of Iron` from 1566. Grace was the leader of the O`Malley clan and controlled much of the west coast in the late 1500`s. She had a fleet of 20 ships moored at Rockfleet which she used to raid cargo ships along the channel and was also responsible for capturing some of the dispersed ships from the Spanish Armada.

Rockfleet Castle is open to the public during the summer, it also possible to take a trip into the bay by fishing boat from the nearby pier. From the sea you can see how well the castle was placed to keep watch over the bay.

Westport House

Westport
Located to the west of Shannon, Westport House overlooks Ireland`s holy Croagh Patrick mountain, Clare Island and out over Clew Bay to the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The limestone house is built over three floors on an estate with formal gardens, terraces a lake and parkland, the estate also has the remains of an old boathouse open to the sea. The house was built on the site of an original castle belonging to Grace O`Malley, the `Pirate Queen.`

Inside the house some of the rooms display a selection of their original contents including portraits and landscapes, a collection of silver, Waterford glass and historic Irish books in the library. Visitors also have the opportunity to visit part of the original castle belonging to Grace O`Malley which is now in the basement or the dungeons as they are known. In the grounds families can enjoy the Pirate`s Den an adventure playground with log flume, pirate ship, mini railway and an indoor soft play area. The house also has its own bar and café in the old farmyard named after the pirate queen it is the venue for live music most weekends. Westport House is considered one of the most beautiful historic houses in Ireland and is open to the public between May and October, 10 am and 5:30 pm daily (Sundays only in May).