Athenry Castle

Athenry Castle is a 13th-century Norman tower house perched on a natural rise above the Clarin River in County Galway, designated as a National Monument of Ireland. It was built by Meiler de Bermingham around 1235 to control the river crossing, and the fortified market town that grew around it remains one of Ireland's most intact medieval urban plans, including stretches of the original town walls. Managed by the Office of Public Works, the castle charges a small admission fee and offers guided access to the keep's interior, giving visitors a tangible sense of Norman military architecture in the west of Ireland.