Clan Rising
Ballymote Castle today

Ireland · Partial ruin

Ballymote Castle

Caisleán Bhaile an Mhóta

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.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1300

Its prime

1300

Today

Partial ruin

As it stood in 1300

What Ballymote Castle looked like 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 explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

North gate (approach)Gatehouse passageCentral courtyard (inner ward)Wall passages (in-wall gallery)Mid-east three-quarter round tower (exterior)South wall postern (unfinished)

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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.

  • O'Connor

    Held by the O'Connor Sligo from about 1571, surrendered and regranted.

Questions about Ballymote Castle

What is the history of Ballymote Castle?

Ballymote Castle was built around 1300 to protect Richard Óg de Burgh’s newly won possessions in County Sligo. It changed hands repeatedly, passing to the MacDonaghs by 1381 and later to the O'Connor Sligo. In 1690, Captain Terence MacDonagh surrendered it to Lord Granard after an artillery attack; it later fell into ruins.

What is inside Ballymote Castle?

Inside Ballymote Castle are an open rectangular inner ward of about 300 square metres, the gatehouse passage and passages running through the walls. The wall passages gave access to the towers and curtain walls at different heights. No traces of the interior domestic buildings survive.

Why was Ballymote Castle built, and what was it used for?

Ballymote Castle was built to protect Richard Óg de Burgh’s newly won possessions in County Sligo. It was designed as a fortified enclosure, with thick curtain walls, towers, a double-towered gate and wall passages for attack or defence. No later change of purpose is documented in the supplied material.

Where is Ballymote Castle?

Ballymote Castle is on the outskirts of Ballymote in County Sligo. It stands in the townland of Carrownanty, opposite Ballymote railway station and on the Ballymote to Tubbercurry road.

When was Ballymote Castle built?

Ballymote Castle was built around 1300, in the fourteenth century. Both the recorded first-raised year and the inception year are 1300.

Was Ballymote Castle ever attacked or besieged?

Ballymote Castle was attacked several times and changed hands. The O'Connors of Sligo captured it in 1317, and the Mac Diarmada took it in 1347. In 1690, Captain Terence MacDonagh surrendered it to Lord Granard during an artillery attack.

Which family or clan held Ballymote Castle?

Ballymote Castle was held by the de Burgh, MacDonagh, MacDermot and O'Connor families. The MacDonaghs held it by 1381 and again from 1598, while Tadhg MacDermot owned it in 1561 and the O'Connor Sligo held it from about 1571.

What did Ballymote Castle look like in its prime?

Ballymote Castle was a rectangular keepless enclosure with very thick grey stone curtain walls about 3 metres wide. Six three-quarter round towers stood at the corners and the midpoints of the east and west walls, while a double-towered gate occupied the north wall. The inner ward was an open courtyard of about 300 square metres.

Is Ballymote Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Ballymote Castle is still standing but is in partial ruin. Its curtain walls, towers, gate and courtyard survive, while no interior domestic buildings remain. The Office of Public Works has carried out preservation and conservation work on the castle.

Who built Ballymote Castle?

Ballymote Castle was probably built by Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, known as the Red Earl. He is also identified as the person who commissioned the castle; no architect is named in the supplied material.

Can you visit Ballymote Castle?

Ballymote Castle is open to visitors. It is a national monument of Ireland, and access is through the grounds of the Ballymote Community nursing unit.

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