Shrule Castle () is a ruined
tower house near
Shrule in
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...
, Ireland. The castle was built c.1238, near the
Black River at the County Mayo and
County Galway
"Righteousness and Justice"
, anthem = ()
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg
, map_caption = Location in Ireland
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = ...
border by the
de Burgh family. It was given to
John de Burgh in 1308 by his father
Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster
Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and 3rd Baron of Connaught (; ; 1259 – 29 July 1326), called The Red Earl ( Latinized to de Burgo), was one of the most powerful Irish nobles of the late 13th and early 14th centuries and father of ...
.
History
The castle was captured in 1570 by a strong force led by Sir
Edward Fitton,
President of Connaught and
Vice Treasurer of Ireland, the force mainly consisted of the
McDonnells of Knocknacloy's
gallowglass warriors.
Mac William Uachtar, Lord of Thomond, the de Burghs of Mayo and
McDonnells of Mayo led a force to retake the castle, however they did not succeed. The chief of the McDonnells of Knocknacloy
Calvagh McDonnell was killed on 18 June 1570 and during the battle Edward Fitton was unhorsed and severely wounded in the face.
William Burke occupied the castle, and passed it to his son John Burke in 1574. In 1610,
Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde leased the castle and lands to Pierce Lynch of Galway.
The
tower house and its field are used to keep sheep now.
References
Shrule Castle
Castles in County Mayo
Ruins in the Republic of Ireland
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