Ballinacarriga Castle

Ballinacarriga Castle is a tower house near Dunmanway built with thick stone walls, narrow windows, and defensive corner turrets. The structure sits on open ground surrounded by a small lake, creating a water-based defensive barrier around the entire building.

The castle was built in the 16th century by the O'Muirthile family as a defensive stronghold during troubled times. Ownership changed several times after the Irish Catholic rebellion of 1641 as the property survived through religious and political upheaval.

The eastern wall displays a Sheela Na Gig sculpture, a medieval stone carving that depicts a female figure, a motif found across European religious buildings. This type of carving shows how worldly and spiritual imagery mixed together in Irish construction practices of that era.

The building sits roughly 9 kilometers from central Dunmanway in an open, quiet location. The site offers parking and picnic tables by the lake, making it easy to reach and spend time there comfortably.

The structure includes bartizans, jutting corner turrets, and a machicolation system for dropping objects onto attackers below. These defensive features were typical for tower houses of this period and show careful planning against siege attempts.

Location: Dunmanway

GPS coordinates: 51.70583,-9.03167

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:08