Ireland · Partial ruin
Castle Hackett
Castle Hackett is a ruined medieval tower house near Belclare at the base of Knockma Hill in County Galway, Ireland. Originally a Norman-built stronghold later adapted into a multi-storey tower house, it was occupied into the early 18th century and now survives as a ruined standalone tower in a meadow.
Its prime
1600
Today
Partial ruin
As it stood in 1600
The shape it held in its prime.
A tall, rectangular rubble-stone tower house rising alone in a grassy field at the base of a low hill. The tower has several narrow slit and rectangular windows stacked vertically, a ruined crenellated parapet and corbelled angles at the top; the lower walls are thicker and slightly battered. Stone is pale grey to off-white; the tower stands without surrounding curtain walls, set amid trees and open meadow with a clear approach from the west.
Its story
The story of Castle Hackett.
Castle Hackett was originally built by the Hacketts, a Norman family, as a stronghold at the base of Knockma Hill near Belclare, in the parish of Caherlistrane some 10 kilometres south-west of Tuam in County Galway. Dating from the 13th century, it was later adapted into a multi-storey tower house and remained occupied into the early 18th century.
The Castlehacket branch of the Kirwan family was established there in the mid-17th century by Sir John Kirwan. In the introduction to his Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888), W. B. Yeats mentioned the family and the castle, describing "the Hackets of Castle Hacket, Galway" as a family supposed to be favoured or plagued by fairy-seeing, "who had for their ancestor a fairy". The castle now survives as a ruined standalone tower in a meadow.
Step inside
5 places to explore in 1600.
The record describes 5 distinct spots at Castle Hackett — including 1 interior: first-floor great hall. 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 Castle Hackett with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1600 — a photoreal walk that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
Recreate Castle to Explore →Whose castle
Clans who held Castle Hackett.
The families that held Castle Hackett for a decade or more across its history — follow a name to its clan.
Hackett
Built by the Hacketts, a Norman family, in the 13th century.
Kirwan
The Castlehacket branch of the Kirwan family was established here by Sir John Kirwan in the mid-17th century.
