Cloghmoyle Castle, An Carn Mór Thiar, Co. Galway

Cloghmoyle Castle, An Carn Mór Thiar, Co. Galway

Standing in the flat pastureland of An Carn Mór Thiar in County Galway, the ruins of Cloghmoyle Castle offer a glimpse into Ireland's medieval past.

Cloghmoyle Castle, An Carn Mór Thiar, Co. Galway

This rectangular tower house, measuring roughly 10.3 metres east to west and 7.2 metres north to south, rises at least two storeys despite centuries of neglect. Heavy ivy now cloaks much of the structure, and whilst the south and west walls remain relatively intact, significant portions of the northern wall and the northern section of the eastern wall have crumbled away over time.

The castle’s defensive features are still discernible amongst the ruins. A centrally positioned slit window with splayed sides can be spotted in the southern wall; a classic medieval design that allowed defenders to fire arrows whilst remaining protected. Additional window openings appear at first floor level in both the northern and southern walls, though these are now badly deteriorated. Inside, a later partition wall subdivides the interior space and blocks the original slit window, suggesting the building saw modifications during its occupation. At ground level, a wall recess is visible in the western wall’s northern end, possibly once serving as storage or seating.

Perhaps most intriguing are the remnants of what may have been angle towers at the northeast and southwest corners, though these barely reach half a metre in height today. Local historical records add an unexpected twist to the castle’s story; according to O’Flanagan’s 1972 account, the site was known locally as “Cloghmweel” and was once believed to have served as a convent. This suggests the castle may have later housed a community of nuns, transforming from a defensive structure into a religious residence, though the exact timeline of this transition remains unclear.

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O’Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1927 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Galway collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. Typescript in 3 vols. Bray. OSNB – Ordnance Survey Name Books. Pro-forma books arranged by Civil Parish for recording townland and other name-forms and compiled in the course of the OS 6-inch survey 1824-1841. The name books also include minor names and incidental references to antiquities. National Archives of Ireland.
An Carn Mór Thiar, Co. Galway
53.30262842, -8.88377169
53.30262842,-8.88377169
An Carn Mór Thiar 
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