Tyrrellspass Castle, Medieval tower house in Tyrrellspass, Ireland
Tyrrellspass Castle is a stone tower house in County Westmeath containing multiple interior chambers connected by an original spiral staircase. The building now operates as a restaurant on its lower levels and displays a museum collection of local artifacts.
The castle was built in 1411 and belonged to the Tyrrell family, who traced lineage back to the Norman conquest, until Cromwell's forces arrived in 1650. This transition marked a turning point in how the building was used and maintained.
The castle operates today as a functioning restaurant and museum, bringing local history into everyday use for visitors and residents alike. This blend of present-day hospitality within old stone walls shows how communities keep medieval buildings alive.
The castle sits on Main Street in Tyrrellspass and is easy to locate with parking nearby for visitor access. Plan time to dine in the restaurant and then explore the museum rooms upstairs to see both parts of the experience.
An exposed roof beam dating from 1280 remains visible in the restaurant lounge as a structural element, predating the castle's formal construction by more than a century. This timber offers a tangible link to building practices from an earlier era.
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