This tower house, likely built in the 16th century, was once home to the Burke family, one of the Norman dynasties that had settled in Connacht following the Anglo-Norman invasion. The Burkes, who had thoroughly adapted to Irish customs and culture by this period, constructed numerous such fortified residences throughout Mayo and Galway, creating a network of strongholds that helped them maintain control over their territories.

The castle’s strategic position would have given its inhabitants command over the surrounding agricultural lands and nearby routes. Like many Irish tower houses of its era, Belclare Castle was designed to be both a comfortable residence for the local lords and a defensive structure capable of withstanding raids and sieges. The building would have originally stood several storeys high, with thick walls punctuated by narrow windows; features that balanced the need for light with security concerns. The ground floor typically served as storage, whilst the upper levels housed the family’s living quarters, complete with a great hall for entertaining and conducting business.

Today, visitors to Belclare will find atmospheric ruins that hint at the castle’s former significance. Though time and weather have taken their toll on the structure, enough remains to appreciate the skill of its medieval builders and imagine life within its walls. The site offers a glimpse into an era when local chieftains and lords wielded considerable power, before the upheavals of the 17th century saw many such castles abandoned or destroyed during the Cromwellian conquest and subsequent Williamite Wars. These ruins, set against the Mayo landscape, serve as a poignant reminder of how the fortunes of Ireland’s great families rose and fell with the tides of history.