Built sometime in the 15th or 16th century, this tower house once served as the stronghold of a local Gaelic family, most likely a branch of the O’Kellys or the O’Maddens who controlled much of east Galway during this period. Like many such fortified dwellings across the west of Ireland, it was designed to protect its inhabitants from raids whilst projecting the status and wealth of its owners across the surrounding countryside.

Today, visitors will find a rectangular stone structure that rises approximately three storeys high, though the upper portions have partially collapsed over the centuries. The castle’s walls, built from locally quarried limestone, are remarkably thick at the base; a defensive feature common to tower houses of this era. Original features that can still be observed include narrow window openings, the remnants of a spiral staircase in one corner, and what appears to be a murder hole above the entrance, where defenders could drop projectiles on unwelcome guests below.

The castle likely fell into disuse during the upheavals of the 17th century, when Cromwell’s forces systematically destroyed or confiscated many such strongholds across Ireland. Local tradition suggests the building may have been deliberately slighted to prevent its use by rebels or outlaws. Despite its ruined state, Ballintemple Castle offers a tangible connection to the complex social and military landscape of late medieval Connacht, when dozens of similar towers dotted the region, each marking the territory of competing clans and families.