AUGHNANURE CASTLE
Caisleán Achadh na nIubhar, castle in the yew field
Oughterard, County Galway

The name Aughnanure comes from the old Irish "Achadh na nIubhar" which means the field of yews. On of these specimins remains nearby.

Aughnanure Castle is one of more than 200 tower keeps in Galway alone, but is one of the more unusual. On the outside, the castle grounds were once surrounded by two fortified walls. Ships coming up from Galway City anchored in Lough Corrib delivered supplies by boat up the narrow river to the harbor between the walls.

Inside, the lord's chamber at the top of the keep had a secret room. What looks like a garderobe, or privvy, hid the opening to the secret space in the floor where prisoners were often tossed. While the precise use of these secret rooms hasn't been discovered, it's quite possible they were used as temporary prisons AND privvies. There are few of these types of rooms in other keeps around Ireland, which makes them very rare.

The O'Flaherty's were the ruling clan in this region for centuries before their temporary expulsion by the Norman family of de Burgo's in 1256. Their land extended from Lough Corrib east to the sea and encompassed all of West Connaught. The original Aughnanure Castle was most likely a timber keep that was replaced by Walter de Burgo, the first Earl of Ulster. Soon after, the

O'Flaherty's regained control of the region, Aughnanure becoming their strongest fortification against their neighbors, primarily from the Galway Tribes who controlled access from Lough Corrib to the sea by the river that flowed through the city.

There were fourteen tribes in Galway made up of merchant families who dominated the political, commercial, and social life of Galway city from the mid-13th century to the late-19th century. Those families were: Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D'Arcy, Deane, Ffont, Ffrench, Joyce, Kirwan, Lynch, Martin, Morris and Skerrett. All but two of these families were of Anglo-Norman or Cambro-Norman origin. D'Arcy/Darcy (Ó Dorchaidhe) and Kirwan (Ó Ciardhubháin) families were of Irish origin.

Lord Grey, King Henry VIII's Lord Deputy of Ireland, arrived in Galway in 1537 to receive oaths of loyalty to the English monarchy. During this time, the O'Flaherty's, O'Madden's and Mac Yeoris (or Bemingham's) arrived into the city to make their submissions, but refused the hostaged Grey required.

While the O'Flaherty's sworth their oath alongside the Fourteen Tribes, they citizens of the city still felt threatened. The city's burghers had a plaque erected over the western entrance into the city that read, "This Gate was erected to protect us from the ferocious O'Flahertys."
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Portrayals of the O'Flaherty's in the 16th century included "valient" and "of the wars," which tells that they remained at odds with the city. None more so than Morogh na dTuadh, known as "Morogh of the battle-axes." He was a minor member in the family hierarchy who frequently mounted raids on English territory around Galway. In 1564, a raid against Morogh on Tra Ban, the White Strand, was defeated, but not without consequences. But by 1569, he was pardoned for his "offencses" and eventually appointed by Queen Elizabeth I as a chieftain in the territory, one over the head of the legitimate chieftain who lived at Aughnanure Castle.

In 1572, Aughnanure Castle fell when Sir Edward Fitton, President of Connaught, marched against the O'Flaherty's. It was handed over to Morogh who refitted the keep and fortifying it sa we see today.

Hugh O'Flaherty was granded Aughnanure by King James I in 1618, but by the middle of the 17th century it was taken over by the Marquis of Clanrickarde. He was known to have penned a number of letters from Aughnanure as part of his campaign against Cromwell's forces, which waged war through Ireland 1649-1653.

By 1687, the Earl of Clanrickarde allowed the O'Flaherty's back into the castle, but for an annual rent of £76, or about £37,600 in today's currency. Then in 1719, the keep was transferred entirely to Bryan O'Flaherty who foolishly took out a mortgage on it for £1600, having borrowed the money from Lod St. George who subsequently foreclosed on the mortgage and took possession of the castle.

O'Flaherty ownership of Aughnanure Castle seems to have flipflopped over the centuries, but it was back in their hands in 1952 when Peter O'Flaherty obtained the keep then had it declared a national monument. He restored the parapet, chimney and roof in 1963, which was about the time that other keeps were being restored around the country, such as Bunratty Castle, in County Clare. Aughnanure Castle is now part of Dúchas The Heritage Service of the Department of the Environment and Local Government.

Today, the keep is open to the public. The ground floor includes information boards on the history of the keep and surrounding area. There is also an artists rendering of what the demesne once looked like in its heyday.

Interests at Aughnannure Castle doesn't stop here. There are three species of bats that roost in the keep. Most are Daubenton's Bats, but there are a few Pipistrelles Bats and Long-Eared Bats also call Aughnanure Castle home. The keep is also used as a maternity roost, a place wher female bats give birth to a single offspring in early Summer. Sometimes baby bats crawl out of crevices in the walls and are found on the castle floor, but generally they are never seen durin gthe day, but can be heard through the walls.

Bats are and endangered species and are protected by Irish and EU legislation.

Note: Should you discover a baby bat on the floor of the keep, DO NOT touch it. Please tell a member of staff imediately.

~ Free car parking available
~ limited access, unpaved path to the site, limited access to the keep