Aghalard Castle () is a ruined

tower castle A tower castle is a small castle that mainly consists of a fortified tower or a tower-like structure that is built on natural ground. It is thus different from the motte-and-bailey castle, which it may resemble, but whose main defensive structur ...

south of

Castlebar Castlebar () is the county town of County Mayo, Ireland. Developing around a 13th-century castle of the de Barry family, from which the town got its name, the town now acts as a social and economic focal point for the surrounding hinterland. Wi ...

County Mayo County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

History

Built in c.1490 by the descendants of the McDonnells of Knocknacloy who had become

gallowglass The Gallowglass (also spelled galloglass, gallowglas or galloglas; from meaning "foreign warriors") were a class of elite mercenary warriors who were principally members of the Norse-Gaelic clans of Ireland and Scotland between the mid 13th ...

to the Burkes of Mayo. The castle consisted of a three-storey tower with square turrets, enclosed by a bawn. The castle was captured in 1596 by

Edward Brabazon, 1st Baron Ardee Edward Brabazon, 1st Baron Ardee (c. 1548 – 7 August 1625) was an Anglo-Irish peer. Brabazon was the eldest son of William Brabazon (Lord Justice of Ireland), Sir William Brabazon (died 1552), the Lord Justice of the Kingdom of Ireland, and El ...

Ulick Burke, 3rd Earl of Clanricarde Ulick Burke, 3rd Earl of Clanricarde ( ; died 1601), styled Lord Dunkellin ( ) until 1582, was an Irish peer who was the son of Richard Burke, 2nd Earl of Clanricarde and Margaret O'Brien. Birth and origins Ulick wa ...

and James Riabhach Darcy, however it was evacuated shortly afterwards upon hearing of the approach of

Hugh Roe O'Donnell Hugh Roe O'Donnell II (; 20 October 1572 – 30 August 1602), also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell, was an Irish Chief of the Name, clan chief and senior leader of the Irish confederacy during the Nine Years' War (Ireland), Nine Years' War. He was ...

. It remained in possession of the McDonnells until bought by Sir

Benjamin Guinness Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, 1st Baronet, JP, DL (1 November 1798 – 19 May 1868) was an Anglo-Irish brewer and philanthropist. Brewer Born in Dublin, he was the third son of the second Arthur Guinness, and his wife Anne Lee, and a grandson ...

in the 19th century.

References

*National Monuments Service (Ireland) SMR No. MA120-024----, Castle - Tower House, Aghalahard
Aghalard Castle (including photos)
Castles in County Mayo Ruins in the Republic of Ireland National monuments in County Mayo {{Mayo-geo-stub