Richard de Burgo, the Red Earl of Ulster, built the remains of this Anglo Norman castle in AD 1300 and it was the strongest fortress in Connacht.
The most prominent feature of this impressive fortification is the large gate building, a rectangular structure with projection 1/2 round towers at each side of the entrance.
Ballymote is almost square in plan with a 3/4 round tower at each angle and a D-shaped tower mid way along the east and west curtains. In the south wall there is a small gateway, which may have been used as a sallyport. The double faced walls of the gate towers were built as a defence against undermining the wall.
It is free to visit and it is located right beside the train station in Ballymote.
More info…
- Admission fees: Free Admission.
- Open: Year-round.
- Suitable for younger children: Yes.
- Indoor facilities: No.
- Dining/refreshments: Plenty of options in Ballymote.
- Guide dogs: Permitted.
- Groups: Groups are welcome.
- Accessibility: Fully accessible but grassy area internally.
- Parking: Free car park and free coach parking in Ballymote.
About Ballymote
Ballymote is an historic market town in gorgeous south Sligo. The Norman Castle dominates the town still to this day and it is open for you to explore and have a look around. Ballymote is home to The White Hag brewery who now offer Taproom Tours along with running their world famous Hagstravaganza beer festival.
The founder of Glasgow Celtic was born in Ballymote (Brother Walfrid) and it is a hive of traditional Irish music with famous musicians such as Paddy Killoran hailing from the area. You can enjoy some lovely walking trails in the area. The train station services both Sligo and Dublin and there is a great local link bus service too.
Location
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