Castlekirk

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Castlekirk, Tower house ruin on an island in Lough Corrib, Ireland

The limestone and sandstone walls of this medieval tower house measure 10 feet in thickness and contain remnants of spiral staircases and fireplaces.

The castle was built before 1118 by the sons of Ruaidrí na Saide Buide with assistance from William FitzAldelm, making it one of Ireland's earliest mortared fortifications.

The fortress earned its name Hen's Castle after Grace O'Malley reclaimed it following her husband's murder, establishing her position as a formidable naval leader.

Access to the castle requires a boat journey across Lough Corrib, and visitors should note that the structure is protected as a National Monument of Ireland.

Local accounts mention a witch who transported stones across the water during construction and left behind a magical hen to protect the fortress.

Location: Carrowgarriff

GPS coordinates: 53.49253,-9.51333

Latest update: May 23, 2025 09:20

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« Castlekirk: Tower house ruin on an island in Lough Corrib, Ireland » is provided by Around Us (aroundus.com). Images and texts are derived from Wikimedia project under a Creative Commons license. You are allowed to copy, distribute, and modify copies of this page, under the conditions set by the license, as long as this note is clearly visible.

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