Site of Castle, Garbally Demesne, Co. Galway

Site of Castle, Garbally Demesne, Co. Galway

On the western outskirts of Ballinasloe town in County Galway, the former site of a castle tells a story of lost Irish heritage.

Site of Castle, Garbally Demesne, Co. Galway

Historical records from 1574 show that a castle once stood here on what was then demesne land, owned by one Mahe McTully. The castle would have been a significant structure in its day, marking the power and influence of its owner in this part of Galway during the Tudor period.

Today, visitors searching for remnants of this 16th century stronghold will find no visible traces of the original structure. The castle has completely vanished from the landscape, its stones likely repurposed for other buildings over the centuries or simply lost to time and weather. In its place stands a 19th century ornamental spire, erected as a decorative feature of Garbally Demesne, serving as an inadvertent memorial to the forgotten fortress.



The transformation from medieval castle site to Victorian ornamental grounds reflects the changing face of Irish estates over the centuries. Where once a defensive structure controlled the surrounding lands, the later landowners chose to create a romanticised landscape feature, typical of the estate improvements that swept through Ireland in the 1800s. The spire now serves as the only marker of this historic site, a silent witness to the layers of history beneath the manicured grounds of Garbally Demesne.

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Egan, P.K. 1960 The parish of Ballinasloe, its history from the earliest times to the present day. Dublin. Clonmore and Reynolds. Nolan, J.P. 1901c Galway castles and owners in 1574. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 1, 109-23.
Garbally Demesne, Co. Galway
53.32300868, -8.25163965
53.32300868,-8.25163965
Garbally Demesne 
Masonry Castles 

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