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Monday 9:30am - 5pm Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm Thursday 9:30am - 5pm Friday 9:30am - 5pm Saturday 9:30am - 5pm Sunday 9:30am - 5pm

Aughnanure Castle Heritage Site

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Aughnanure Castle Heritage Site

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Aughnanure Castle is an OPW managed heritage site in Oughterard, Co. Galway

Built by the O'Flahertys (Uí Fhlaithbheartaigh) c. 1500, Aughnanure Castle lies in picturesque surroundings on the leafy banks of the Drimneen Rover and close to the shores of Lough Corrib. Standing on a limestone outcrop, the castle is a particularly well-preserved example of an Irish tower house. In addition, visitors will find the remains of a richly embellished banqueting hall and flanking towers enclosed within a high-walled bawn. Location: 3.5km from Oughterard off N59 - Oughterard to Galway road

Guided Tours: Available on request

Maximum number: 40
Duration: 45 minutes

Leaflet/Guide book: English, Irish, French, German

Seasonal Events: Please check in advance using contact details listed above

Photography / Video allowed: Yes, but permit required for commercial purposes

Additional Information: Restricted access to castle grounds for visitors with disabilities

ADMISSION RATES 2023:

Adult: €5
Senior/Group: €4
Child/Student: €3 (Valid student ID required. Children under 12 are free)
Family: €13 (Two adults and up to 5 children under 18)

OPENING TIMES 2023:

March 2nd - November 12th : 9.30am - 6pm
(Last Admission at 5.15pm)

10/10/2026

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗽 𝗗𝗮𝘆 / 𝗟𝗮́ 𝗻𝗮 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲

Join us for a harp recital on Saturday, October 17th with Natalie Surina of Ériú Harps to celebrate Harp Day / Lá na Cruite.

The ancient Irish harp with its graceful shape and beautiful sound has appeared in manuscripts and on Christian stone crosses dating back to the eighth century, and has been the symbol of Ireland’s high kingship from as early as the thirteenth century.

Giraldus Cambrensis of Wales accompanied the King John as his clerk on a visit to newly-conquered Ireland in 1185. Two of Gerald’s brothers (Philip and Robert de Barry) had taken part in the initial invasion and held lands in the south of the country, so much of what Giraldus wrote can be seen as pro-Norman propaganda and was extremely negative about the Gaelic Irish. However, he was very complimentary about the harping skills of the Gaels.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴… 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘩, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘺…”

Henry VIII declared himself king in 1541 and adopted the harp into the heraldic arms of the newly created Kingdom of Ireland. It was adopted as the official symbol of the newly-independent Irish Free State in 1922.

The harp has particular significance for Aughnanure Castle as an intact bronze harp strap was found by one of the guide staff in the Drimneen river, beside the castle dock, in 2023. This is particularly exciting, as very few medieval harp artifacts have been found, with most being lost during and after the turmoil of the Elizebathan and Cromwelliam conquests and the resulting near-eradication of Gaelic culture in Ireland. The harp strap is a critical component to counter-balance the tension of the strings, as harps were made without glue. The strap found by Aughnanure Castle was handed over to the National Museum for further examination. We will return to it in more detail in an upcoming post.

Saturday’s event will run from 1pm to 4:30pm, and will include music, history of the harp and a hands-on harp workshop. This is a rare opportunity to hear the sound of the ancient Irish harp in one of its original settings, and also see one in the making, so come along and try out your harping skills for yourself! No prior booking required and admission to the event itself is free.

Heritage Ireland
Oughterard Heritage
Moycullen Heritage
Ériú Harps
What's On Connemara
Galway Early Music

06/10/2026

🎃🎃 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 - 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 🎃🎃

𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙪𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 - 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧, 𝙀𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙊𝙉𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙐𝙉𝘿𝘼𝙔.

Our annual Halloween event is happening over the October bank holiday weekend on Sunday, October 25th to Monday, October 26th.

There will be a range of events to suit all ages, and admission to all events is FREE! Booking is required ONLY for the storytelling on Sunday. Contact us at 046 940 7220 or [email protected].

🎃Sunday, October 25th 🎃

12-4pm: Face Painting
Watch as your little ghouls and goblins transform into their favourite characters – whether it’s a fierce tiger, a magical fairy, or a spooky skeleton! Our talented face painter will bring their imaginations to life with colourful designs that are sure to delight. Don’t forget to snap a picture of your little monsters in their new looks!

12-4pm: Costume Competition
We’re on the hunt for the most spooktacular outfits this Halloween, with our annual children’s costume competition! All you have to do is turn up to Aughnanure Castle in your costume, register for the competition and we will shortlist our favourites, with the best, most creative creations winning prizes in the following categories:

1. Under 8s best costume
2. Over 8s best costume
3. Best family costume

12-4pm: Family Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Search the castle grounds for the various spooky Halloween characters hidden in the strangest of places! Can you find them all?

12-4pm: Mini Pumpkin Patch
Record your most Instagrammable moments at our mini pumpkin patch on the grounds of the castle, brimming with vibrant pumpkins of all shapes and sizes!

🎃Monday, October 26th 🎃

2-4pm: Storytelling with Eddie Lenihan
Eddie is well-renowned Irish author, storyteller and lecturer. He is one of the few practicing seanchaithe (traditional Irish lore-keepers and tale-spinners) remaining in Ireland. Come along to hear Eddie recount tales of haunted places, fairy paths, banshees and the otherworld in an enchanting afternoon storytelling session on the top floor of the castle. This has limited seating so booking is essential by phone or email. Not suitable for children under 10.

12-4pm: Costume Competition
We’re on the hunt for the most spooktacular outfits this Halloween, with our annual children’s costume competition! All you have to do is turn up to Aughnanure Castle in your costume, register for the competition and we will shortlist our favourites, with the best, most creative creations winning prizes in the following categories:

1. Under 8s best costume
2. Over 8s best costume
3. Best family costume

12-4pm: Family Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Search the castle grounds for the various spooky Halloween characters hidden in the strangest of places! Can you find them all?

12-4pm: Mini Pumpkin Patch
Record your most Instagrammable moments at our mini pumpkin patch on the grounds of the castle, brimming with vibrant pumpkins of all shapes and sizes!

The winning entries for the schools art competitions will also be on display all weekend.

Admission to all events is free and all are welcome!
(Please be aware that this will be a busy event so we would ask all our visitors to park responsibly over the bank holiday weekend)

Heritage Ireland
OPW - Office of Public Works
Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark
Oughterard Heritage
Moycullen Heritage
What's On Connemara

09/09/2026

𝗢𝗶́𝗰𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂́𝗶𝗿 / 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

Bígí linn ag Caisleán Achadh na nIúr ar Oíche Chultúir, an 18 Meán Fómhair, le haghaidh Misneach na mBanríon — dráma Gaeilge a léiríonn an cruinniú cáiliúil idir Gráinne Ní Mháille agus an Bhanríon Eilís I i mí Mheán Fómhair 1593.
Cuirfidh an déantóir cláirsí áitiúil, Natalie ó Éirú Harps, tús leis an oíche le roinnt ceoil.

Join us at Aughnanure Castle on Culture Night, 18th September, for Misneach na mBanríon, an Irish-language play dramatising the famous meeting of Grace O'Malley and Queen Elizabeth I in September 1593.
Local harpmaker, Natalie of Éirú Harps, will start the evening with a recital.

Tá líon teoranta daoine ann, glaoigh ar (091) 552 214 le d’áit a chur in áirithe.

Numbers are limited, please call (091) 552 214 to book your place.

Galway County Culture Night
Heritage Ireland
Oughterard Heritage

03/09/2026

Good news!
Aughnanure Castle will reopen at 10:30am on Saturday 5th September following completion of works on the car park and boundary.

18/06/2026

𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙚 - 𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚
NOTE: Please don’t try to visit the castle exterior by vehicle as it is causing difficulties for both visitors and local residents. The car park area is closed off and the road is very narrow, with nowhere to park or turn.

07/06/2026

𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢’𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆?
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 1 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖’𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺𝘴’ 𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦

The seanchaithe of ancient and medieval Ireland were the hereditary masters of lore and tradition, responsible for preserving the vast oral and written body of law, lore, legends and family pedigrees known as the seanchas. Noble lineage was critical to medieval Ireland’s ruling families as they derived their place in society, their right to rule and to property ownership from their ancestry. Lineage would be recited at feasts and gatherings, and was particularly important when the time came to elect a tánaiste or successor to the chieftain. Four generations of the taoiseach or chieftain’s male relatives comprised a group called the derbfine and were eligible to vote for the successor, and one of the important tasks of the seanchaidh was to keep track of the derbfine – a task made tougher by the fact that sons from either side of wedlock were accorded equal legitmacy.

The O’Flahertys traced their royal lineage back through Brión, fifth century founder of the Uí Briúin dynasty and son of Eochaid Muigh Meadhóin, all the way back to Conn Cétcathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles), second century High King of Ireland. The dynasties of Eoichaid’s three sons, Brión, Fiachra and Ailill were collectively called the Connachta, or descendants of Conn, and this is where the province of Connacht derives its name. The Uí Briúin, Uí Fiachrae and Uí Ailello ruled Connacht between them, while Brión’s half brother Niall Noígiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages*) founded the Uí Néill dynasty, rulers of the ancient provinces of Ulster and Midhe. This historic relationship is why both the O’Neill and O’Flaherty coats of arms contain a red hand.

As recorded in Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions), an eleventh century history** of Ireland from Creation to the Middle Ages, Conn Cétcathach was himself preceded by a line of over a hundred High Kings back the arrival of the Milesian Gaels led by Éremon and Éber, prior to 1000BCE. These were the sons of Míl Espáine (soldier of Hispania), a king in Northern Spain and himself a descendant of Goídel Glas of Egyptian royalty from whom the Gaels take their name.

The common lineage of some of Ireland’s ruling Gaelic families is shown in the pictures. When a new family rose to prominence, a way would be found - if necessary - to give their pedigree legitimacy, often through the ‘discovery’ by the seanchaithe of an extra son of an ancient king.

The pictures show the lineage of various ruling families; Ireland’s five provinces prior to the Norman invasion of AD1169; and the division of the island between the two major Gaelic dynasties – the Connachta & Uí Néill of the north (Leath Cuinn) and the Eoghanachta of the south (Leath Mogha).

*This does not mean that he spent his time kidnapping people. Hostages were sent by vassal kings or defeated rivals as a guarantee of good behaviour, and the fact that Niall had so many vassals is a measure of his status.

** While the Book of Invasions was accepted as conventional Irish history until as late as the 19th century, it is now considered as mostly invented by early Irish Christian scribes.

31/05/2026

𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 2 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘺

In last week’s post on Augnanure Castle in the nineteenth century, we promised to take a look at the Ordnance Survey Topographical team’s visit in 1839.

First some background. The Ordnance Survey has its roots in military requirements for detailed maps to support the planning of campaigns, with the first survey carried out in the Scottish Highlands after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, and taking 8 years to complete. The surveying of England followed in 1791, driven by fears of a French invasion and conducted at a then unprecedented scale on one inch to one mile. The Ordnance Survey was established in Ireland in 1824 under Thomas Larcom, but for different reasons – to reform an outdated and defective land taxation system which had been based on the infamous survey carried out by William Petty in the 1650s. The Down Survey, as it was called, facilitated the seizure and redistribution of Catholic lands to those who had financed or fought for Cromwell in his invasion of Ireland – an early form of leveraged buyout at a national scale!

Because of their durability and reliability in all weathers, surveyors used 66 foot chains to make their measurements, and over the following two decades Ireland was mapped, townland by townland, at the unprecedented scale of six inches to the mile. In order to record placenames accurately down to townland level, Larcom set up the topographical department in 1834. This department compiled a vast body of place names from Inquisitions, State Papers, Books of Survey and Distribution, the Down Survey and other historical sources. These were then supplemented by Gaelic scholars such as John O’Donovan and Eugene Curry, who were employed to travel around the country to record and standardise on the spellings and pronunciations of placenames. They were often accompanied by antiquarian artists such as William Wakeman and George Petrie, and thanks to their diligence and passion for their work, we have an invaluable record of places, monuments, local history and folklore which otherwise would have been lost a decade later in the devastation of the Great Famine of 1845-47. Much of this was captured in a series of letters primarily between O’Donovan, Larcom and Petrie, known as the Ordnance Survey Letters, available online in the original scanned and in transcribed form. O’Donovan’s personality shines through the letters, with his many complaints about the conditions he had to endure including

𝘸𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘧, 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘨𝘴, 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘦𝘴, 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘢, '𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘵', 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 (𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 2/6 𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯

His letter of October 6th 1838 describes in detail the historical extent of the ancient O’Flaherty country of Munitir Murchada and their expulsion across the lake to Iar Connacht in the mid-1200s, and is worth a read for those interested. However, his reliance on ancient written sources and local folklore meant that he didn’t always get it right, for example his description of Aughnanure Castle attributes its building to the Anglo-Norman 5th Earl of Clanricarde, Ulick Burke, in the mid 1600s instead of the O’Flahertys in the late 1400s.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘰-𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘪𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘜𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 1641 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵, 𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘚𝘪𝘳 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘢 𝘥𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘩 𝘖'𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺; 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖'𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳.

The visit itself took place in August 1839, and we have a letter from George Petrie to his director, Thomas Larcom, describing it. He describes the team’s fascination with the local ladies:

𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤, 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸, 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵…

while Petrie himself appears to have been taking o***m or laudanaum, as he describes

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘵, 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 – 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴, 𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 – 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦. 𝘐 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘋𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬…

Your author shudders to think what would have come of sending such a business trip report to his boss during his time in industry. Times have changed, and not always for the better…

Our pictures show the watchtower as it is today and in Wakeman’s sketch; Wakeman’s sketch of the site; the main family space; and the castle lit by afternoon sun and reflected in the Drimneen river (Droimnín – ‘little ridge’).

The Field Name Books and letters for County Galway are available online at:
http://www.galwaylibrary.org/letters
http://www.galwaylibrary.org/field-books

23/05/2026

𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 1 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴

The Industrial Revolution of the later 1700s brought about the growth of a middle class with disposable income, which in turn brought about the birth of tourism in Ireland. The wealthier classes of Great Britain and Ireland were also often forced by continental wars to swap the traditional European Grand Tour for a Domestic ‘Home Tour’, and a rise in interest in Romanticism brought people to the wild and rugged landscapes and ruins of Ireland. This was also facilitated by improvements in infrastructure, and the publication of detailed travelogues and descriptive accounts provided potential visitors with information on itineraries, places to visit and practical matters such as food and lodgings. Beautiful, detailed and accurate sketches, drawings and watercolours, created by travelling artists and writers such as Gabriel Beranger or Francis and Daniel Grose, increased public interest in antiquities and have also left an important record of many historic buildings which have changed or disappeared in subsequent centuries. Two prominent Irish antiquarians in particular left an important record of Aughnanure Castle in the 1800s.

The first of these was George Petrie, director of the Topographical Department of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland, who had responsibility for recording monuments and antiquities, and also standardising on the spelling and pronunciation of Gaelic and Anglicised placenames for the Ordnance Survey maps. This team created a fascinating body of work which we will return to in a separate post. They visited Aughnanure Castle in 1839, with Petrie describing it as being “beyond comparison the most interesting example of the fortress of a great Irish Lord of the sixteenth century I ever saw, nearly perfect, and in a little region of fairyland. Indeed, the whole of this ancient territory of West Connacht is, as yet, the region of romance”. One of the outcomes of that visit was an article by Petrie in the July 1840 edition of The Irish Penny Journal, which included a detailed sketch by Petrie showing features which have since disappeared, including the chimney stack of the great kitchen and the gable of an unknown building to the south of the outer bawn wall. Petrie also drew and described the old yew tree outside the west gate, one of those for which the castle is named, as being over a thousand years old and hinted at some dark legend associated with it from the civil wars of the mid-1600s. He does not elaborate, but local tradition and other sources suggest that many people, from Catholic clergy to members of the Gaelic nobility, were executed at this spot during the aftermath of the Cromwellian War in the 1650s. The same tree still stands outside our gate today.

The second was Sir William Wilde, surgeon, writer, statistician, antiquarian and the father of the well-known playwright and raconteur, Oscar Wilde. Indeed, Oscar’s full name was Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde, the “O’Flahertie” being a nod to the family’s ties to the ancient noble lineage of O’Flaherty from which Sir William claimed descent through his mother, Emily Fynn (or Fynne). In his 1867 book “Lough Corrib, Its Shores and Islands”, Sir William presents detailed descriptions of the antiquities surrounding the lakes, including Aughnanure Castle, which he describes as “a tall massive tower, by far the finest fortified dwelling upon any part of the shores of the Lough”. He singles out the Late Irish Gothic stone carvings over the windows of the banqueting hall for mention, and his sketch “gives but a faint idea of the richness, variety and delicacy of carving by which these beauteous arches were characterized”. The book contains an engraving of a drawing of the castle by William Wakeman, pictured below. Wakeman created sketches and drawings of many of our monuments across a career spanning decades, having originally been hired into the Ordnance Survey Topographical Department as an aspiring seventeen year old artist by George Petrie in 1839.

We’ll revisit this topic next time with a brief note about the Ordnance Survey team and their 1839 visit to Aughnanure Castle.

Our photos show Petrie’s and Wakeman’s drawings of Aughnanure Castle, the ancient yew tree as it is today, and the banqueting hall carvings described by Wilde.

Further reading:

Lough Corrib, Its Shores and Islands: with Notices of Lough Mask by William R. Wilde.

The Castle of Aughnanure by George Petrie. The Irish Penny Journal, Vol.1 No. 01, July 1840.

Beranger’s Views of Ireland by Peter Harbison.

16/05/2026

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗢'𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢’𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆𝘀

Grace O’Malley or Granuaile is one of the most popular and well-known Irish historical figures of the 1500s and questions about her links to the O’Flaherty family and Aughnanure Castle often arise.

Her links with the O’Flahertys have been well documented, notably in Anne Chambers’ definitive biography so we will not go into them in detail here. Suffice to say that she married the tánaiste or elected heir to the O’Flaherty chieftainship, Dónal an Chogaidh (“of the Battles”) in AD1546 in what would have been a political union arranged to stabilise an often fractious relationship between the neighbouring coastal countries - Umhall of the O’Malleys and Iar-Chonnacht of the O’Flahertys. Many instances of raiding, violent disagreement and open conflict between the two great seafaring clans through the centuries are recorded, such as these examples in the Annals of the Four Masters written in AD1632-1636:

𝘈𝘋1384: 𝘈 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘖'𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖'𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘖𝘸𝘦𝘯 𝘖'𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘤 𝘊𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘯 𝘖'𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦, 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘖'𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺.

𝘈𝘋1396: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘸𝘦𝘯 𝘖'𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱'𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘢𝘳-𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺, 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘢𝘯.

This marriage contributed to a period of peace and co-operation between the two clans, even as they increasingly came into conflict with the Elizabethan administration during the Tudor reconquest of Ireland in the later 1500s.

Grace and Dónal resided in the O’Flaherty castle at Bunowen until Dónal was killed in the 1560s by the Joyces in a battle for Castle Kirk (or “Hen’s Castle”), dramatically located on an island in Dúiche Sheoigheach (“Joyce Country”) in the north of Iar-Chonnacht. After Dónal’s death, Grace returned to Clare Island at the mouth of Clew Bay in her own country, and was so respected as a warrior, mariner and leader in her own right that a group of up to 300 sailors from the O’Flaherty family and their vassal clans went with her to serve on her fleet.

There is no record of Grace having visited Aughnanure, however it is highly probable that she did as it was the ceann áit (seat of power) of the O’Flaherty chiefs, and Dónal an Chogaidh would have had regular business here. Grace was also accompanied on her AD1593 journey to London by Sir Morogh O’Flaherty, the Chief of Iar-Chonnacht, as they sought to present a united case against their enemy and oppressor, the English-appointed President of Connaught, Sir Richard Bingham. It’s likely that they would have met at Aughnanure to plan their approach as Morogh was by then quite elderly, describing himself in his will of February that year as “sicke of boddye, weak and feeble, but of perfecte memorye and remembraunce”.

On a final note, Grace and Dónal’s son, Morrough-na-Maor (“of the stewards”, a reference to his vast holdings in the barony of Ballinahinch) became the de facto chief of the western branch of the O’Flahertys. Under the AD1585 Composition of Connaught, the ancient Gaelic role of taoiseach or chief of Iar-Chonnacht had been eliminated and ceased to exist with the death of Sir Morogh in the 1590s. Murrough-na-Maor was based in Bunowen Castle, while Aughnanure declined in importance and ended up in the possession of Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde, in the early 1600s. Grace’s legacy also lived on in her other son, Tibbot-ne-Long (“of the ships”) Bourke, who bore the titles of 1st Lord Mayo and The MacWilliam Bourke. The half-brothers maintained a close relationship throughout their lives as they sought to survive the dismantling of the Gaelic order after the Battle of Kinsale and the subsequent land confiscations of the English king, James I.

Our photos show Castle Kirk on its island (credit Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark), Granuaile’s tower house on Clare Island, and the chancel of the thirteenth century Cistercian abbey with her wall tomb visible on the left.

Further reading:

Grace O'Malley: The Biography of Ireland's Pirate Queen 1530-1603 by Anne Chambers.

Shadow Lord: Theobald Bourke Tibbott-ne-Long 1567-1629 Son of the Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley by Anne Chambers.

Heritage Ireland

13/05/2026

𝗔𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 “𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁” 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀

Aughnanure Castle welcomed a group of 54 Irish and International students on May 12th. Teams from the USA, Lebanon, Mexico, Jordan, and Brazil and Ireland were in Galway to participate in the “Invent for the Planet” (IFTP) 2026 World Finals, hosted by the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) at its Galway City campus. The future is in good hands if this delightful and engaging group is anything to go by!

ATU Galway City

Address

Aughnanure
Oughterard
CO.GALWAY

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5pm
Friday	9:30am - 5pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5pm
Sunday	9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+353 91 552214

Website

https://heritageireland.ie/visit/places-to-visit/aughnanure-castle/

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