Aughnanure Castle

Aughnanure Castle is a medieval Irish tower castle set on the eastern shore of Lough Corrib, about three kilometres from Oughterard in County Galway. Its name derives from the Irish for 'field of the yew trees'. For centuries it served as the stronghold of the O'Flaherty clan, one of the most powerful Gaelic dynasties in Connacht, before falling into English hands during the 16th-century Tudor conquest of Ireland. Today it is protected as a National Monument and managed by Heritage Ireland, with the tower and surrounding defensive walls open to visitors. Its lakeside setting and well-preserved stonework offer a quiet counterpoint to better-known Irish castle sites.