Site of Castle, Fiddaun, Co. Galway
On a gentle rise in the rolling grasslands of County Galway, the remnants of Fiddaun Castle tell a story that stretches back to at least 1574.
Site of Castle, Fiddaun, Co. Galway
Historical records from that year show the castle was owned by one Melaghlin Mc an Abbe, though its origins may reach even further into Ireland’s medieval past. The site sits within what appears to be an ancient field system, suggesting this was once part of a larger agricultural estate that supported the castle and its inhabitants.
Today, visitors won’t find towering walls or dramatic battlements; instead, the castle has been reduced to a rectangular depression measuring roughly 11.7 metres long by 7.5 metres wide. The depression is surrounded by low, grass-covered banks formed from centuries of collapsed stone rubble. These humble remains might not look like much at first glance, but they mark the footprint of what was once a fortified residence, likely a tower house typical of late medieval Ireland.
Archaeological surveys have identified an internal division still visible within the depression, hinting at the castle’s original layout with separate chambers or floors. While nature has reclaimed much of the structure, transforming stone walls into gentle earthen mounds, the site remains an evocative reminder of the numerous small castles that once dotted the Irish countryside. These modest fortifications served as homes for minor nobility and wealthy families during a turbulent period when defence and status went hand in hand.