Ireland · Partial ruin
Ballymote Castle
Ballymote Castle is a large rectangular keepless enclosure castle on the outskirts of Ballymote in County Sligo, Ireland, built around 1300. It is characterised by thick stone curtain walls, six three-quarter round towers and a double-towered north gate; no interior domestic buildings survive today. The site has seen conservation work by the Office of Public Works and is open to visitors.
First raised
1300
Its prime
1300
Today
Partial ruin
As it stood in 1300
The shape it held in its prime.
Rectangular keepless enclosure castle with very thick grey stone curtain walls about 3 metres wide, pierced by narrow vertical embrasures. Six three-quarter round towers stand at the four corners and at the midpoints of the east and west walls. A double-towered gate with twin D-shaped towers occupies the north wall; an unfinished postern is set in the south curtain and a small square tower was intended to protect it. The inner ward is an open rectangular courtyard approximately 300 square metres.
Its story
The story of Ballymote Castle.
Ballymote Castle, a large rectangular keepless castle, was built around 1300 — probably by Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, the "Red Earl", to protect his newly won possessions in County Sligo. The last of the Norman castles in Connacht, it has many similarities with Beaumaris in Anglesey, with thick curtain walls, six three-quarter round towers and a double-towered north gate.
By 1381 the castle had passed to the MacDonaghs. Tadhg MacDermot, one of the last of the Kings of Moylurg, owned it in 1561, but by 1571 it appears to have passed to the O'Connor Sligo, who surrendered the castle and had it regranted. In 1598 the English surrendered it to the MacDonaghs, who sold it shortly afterwards to Red Hugh O'Donnell — one source says for £400 and 300 cows.
The Taaffes owned the castle for a short time from 1633 but surrendered it to English Parliamentary forces in 1652. In the Williamite wars Captain Terence MacDonagh held it for King James II, surrendering to Lord Granard in the face of an artillery attack in 1690. No interior domestic buildings survive; the site has seen conservation work by the Office of Public Works.
Step inside
6 places to explore in 1300.
The record describes 6 distinct spots at Ballymote Castle — including 3 interiors: gatehouse passage, central courtyard (inner ward), wall passages (in-wall gallery). Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more photos, more angles and more rooms of the immersive experience.
Create History
Recreate Ballymote Castle with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1300 — a photoreal walk that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
Recreate Castle to Explore →Whose castle
Clans who held Ballymote Castle.
The families that held Ballymote Castle for a decade or more across its history — follow a name to its clan.
de Burgh
Probably built around 1300 by Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, the Red Earl.
MacDonagh
Held the castle by 1381, and again from 1598; Terence MacDonagh held it for James II until 1690.
MacDermot
Owned by Tadhg MacDermot, one of the last Kings of Moylurg, in 1561.
Held by the O'Connor Sligo from about 1571, surrendered and regranted.
