Athenry, Medieval walled settlement in County Galway, Ireland.
Athenry is a medieval walled settlement in County Galway that preserves about seventy percent of its original defensive structures. The town features five towers, a castle, and a surrounding ditch that demonstrate typical Anglo-Norman construction methods.
The castle was built between 1237 and 1240 by Meiler de Bermingham and was the first Anglo-Norman structure in the region. Its construction marked the beginning of Anglo-Norman control over this area.
The Irish name Baile Átha an Ríogh means 'town of the river ford,' reflecting how the Clareen River crossing shaped human settlement here. The street layout and remaining walls show how residents organized the town around this crossing point.
The settlement lies about 25 kilometers east of Galway and is easily reached via the M6 motorway. A railway station on the main Galway-Dublin line offers access by train.
A late Bronze Age shield found in the area is now displayed in the British Museum. The discovery shows that this region was an important metalworking center thousands of years before the walls were built.
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