Built around 1300 by Richard de Burgh, the ‘Red Earl’ of Ulster, this castle represents one of Ireland’s finest examples of late 13th-century military architecture, bearing striking similarities to Edward I’s Welsh castles. Though the Anglo-Normans held it only briefly before the MacDonaghs seized it in 1317, the castle would become a significant stronghold in medieval Ireland, changing hands multiple times over the centuries.

The castle follows an almost square plan, measuring roughly 42 by 40 metres internally, with its most impressive feature being the twin-towered gatehouse centred in the north wall. Six towers punctuate the curtain walls; one at each corner and one midway along both the eastern and western walls. Most towers are D-shaped with closed backs, rising three storeys high, whilst the corner towers vary between single and multiple storeys. The gatehouse, though now largely ruined with only its southern portion standing to full height, once controlled access through a portcullis-protected passage flanked by twin towers containing fireplaces and residential chambers. Archaeological excavations in 1981 revealed the full extent of this defensive entrance, showing how the 3.2-metre-thick walls would have made the castle nearly impregnable.

What makes Ballymote particularly fascinating is its cultural legacy beyond mere military function. The famous Book of Ballymote, one of Ireland’s most important medieval manuscripts, was partially written within these walls around 1391 and now resides in the Royal Irish Academy. The castle’s strategic importance prompted de Burgh to construct roads connecting it to other Norman strongholds, including the ‘Red Earl’s Road’ to Boyle Abbey in Roscommon. Though Sir George Bingham attempted repairs around 1580, adding his coat of arms to one of the towers, the castle gradually fell into the romantic ruin visible today, now preserved as a national monument under state care.