- Aughnanure Castle
Aughnanure Castle ("Caisleán Achadh na nlubhar" in Irish) is a
tower house inOughterard ,County Galway , inIreland .History
The castle was built by the
O'Flaherty s in the 16th century, one of Connacht's most notable lord families. Aughnanure is one of over 200 tower houses in County Galway, constructed mainly by Gaelic and Anglo-Norman land owning families. The tower lies close to the shores ofLough Corrib , and translates to "the field of the yews" in Irish ("Achadh na nlubhar"). [Ireland West. http://www.ireland-west.com/aughnanurecastle.html Retrieved Feb. 25, 2007]The castle was controlled by the O'Flaherty chieftans until
1572 , when it was captured by Sir Edward Fitton, president of Connaught, and granted to a junior member of the clan who had been enticed over tothe Crown . It was used to blockade Galway during the Cromwellian invasion. Soon after, it was granted to the Earl of Clanrickard, and then reclaimed by the O'Flahertys. It later fell into the hands of Lord St George as the foreclosure of a mortgage. [Ireland's Eye. http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/travel/attractions/castles/aughnac.shtm Retrieved Feb. 25, 2007] It is now managed byDúchas , the Irish State body responsible for national monuments and historic properties.External links
* [http://www.galway.net/galwayguide/todo/sights/county_galway/aughnanure_castle/ Detailed History & Info at Galway.net]
* [http://www.connemarabegins.com/lots_to_see/castles.html Aughnanure at Connemara Begins]
* [http://www.startpage.ie/Ireland/Galleries/Aughnanure/ Photos of Aughnanure Castle]References
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