Cashlaunnagrantha, Grange East, Co. Galway

Cashlaunnagrantha, Grange East, Co. Galway

Perched on a gentle rise in the rolling Galway countryside stands the remnants of a rectangular tower castle, its walls now densely cloaked in vegetation.

Cashlaunnagrantha, Grange East, Co. Galway

Historical records suggest this fortress was already standing in 1526, and by 1574 it had passed into the hands of one ‘Walter boy’, likely a member of the Burke family. The tower measures approximately 9.75 metres in length and 8.2 metres in width, rising to at least four storeys despite only fragments of the south and west walls surviving above ground level.

The castle’s defensive features reveal the careful planning of its medieval builders. The main entrance, located at the eastern end of the north wall, once included what appears to have been a gun loop in its eastern jamb, though the doorway itself has been largely robbed of its stone. Visitors entering through this door would have found themselves in a small lobby overlooked by a murder hole; a stark reminder of the building’s military purpose. From here, intramural stairs spiralling from the first floor level provided access to the upper storeys, winding through the northeast corner of the structure.

The interior preserves evidence of sophisticated construction, including an intact stone vault between the ground and first floors, with traces of a second vault visible between what were likely the second and third floors. The second floor contains intramural passages within both the north and east walls; the northern passage possibly led to a garderobe, whose waste chute can still be spotted in the external face of the west wall. A section of the original bawn wall extends from the northwest corner of the tower, running north to south for about 8 metres and featuring a dilapidated arched opening approximately 2.4 metres wide that once served as the entrance to the enclosed courtyard.

0.0/5

Good to Know

Tags

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete
Pete
I like knowing about my local area, and helping others to learn about theirs too. If you'd like to contribute to this website, please get in touch.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Cashlaunnagrantha, Grange East, Co. Galway. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 50 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.
Grange East, Co. Galway
53.35694252, -8.85608236
53.35694252,-8.85608236
Grange East 
Tower Houses 

Related Places