Claregalway Castle

Fáilte! Claregalway Castle is a fully restored 15th century Anglo-Norman tower house. Situated on the banks of the River Clare, in Claregalway village, on the N17 road, the castle is just under 10 km from Galway City. The castle is the original home of the Brian Boru Harp - the national symbol of Ireland which is now located in Trinity College Dublin

Claregalway castle was the chief fortress of the powerful Clanricard de Burgo or Burke family from the early 1400s to the mid-1600s. The Clanricard Burkes were descended from William de Burgh, an English knight of Norman ancestry who led the colonial expansion into Connacht in the early 1200s. His brother Hubert was Justiciar of England. William became the progenitor of one of the most illustrious families in Ireland.

Exploring Claregalway castle and its environs through a guided tour, visitors can find out about its fascinating, often bloody, six-hundred-year history. Visitors can also discover some of the castle's secrets, learn what everyday life in a medieval Irish castle was like, and hear about the colourful characters who once lived there, such as the 1st Earl of Clanricard, Ulick Burke, in Irish Uileag na gCeann ('Ulick of the heads/the beheader'), Ladies Eustacia Fitzgerald and Honora de Burgo, the notorious Cromwellian commander Sir Charles Coote, the great Hollywood actor Orson Welles and many more.

Stay at the old Mill beside the Castle -a peaceful medieval gem on the banks of the river Clare in the village of Claregalway. Just 6 miles from Galway city centre on the N17 (Galway-Tuam) road...

Your Castle awaits!

Events:

Upcoming Events are listed above

Please see our facebook pages - 'Claregalway Castle' & 'Galway Garden Festival' for all the latest news.

Past Events

Autumn Garden and Food Fair on Sunday 8th September 2019

Ireland’s best nurseries and rare plant specialists will display a great selection of shrubs, trees and more. Please see Events menu for more information.

Soul Space The Experience on Sunday 15th September 2019

Soul Space – The Experience is a powerful, immersive one day event that delivers a synergy of remarkable workshops held by leading minds in mental, physical, spiritual and human performance. You will be brought on a Journey of Soul Growth to Nourish, Awaken, Inspire and Heal.

tickets available at https://ti.to/soul-space-the-experience/soul-space-the-experience-2019

Culture Night with Youth Ballet West on Friday 20th September 2019

An extraordinary evening of dance and music with fairies, pixies and goblins with the dancers of Youth Ballet West.

International Medieval Combat on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th September 2019

Put a date in your Diary going back 500 years or so!

Battle returns to Claregalway Castle as members of the Irish Full Contact Medieval Combat Team prepare to face opposition from some of the world’s top fighters.

The Annual De Burgo Lecture with Prof Nicholas Canny on Friday 27th September 2019

Admission is FREE. Don’t miss this wonderful, compelling and engaging event.

Heritage Week from 17th to 25th August 2019

Half price guided tours on Saturday 17th, Sunday 18th, Thursday 22nd, Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th 2019.

Galway Garden Festival 2019 on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July 2019

Our renowned Galway Garden Festival - a showcase for the very best of rare and special plant traders from all over Ireland and a platform for the best of artisan craft and food in the west of Ireland. It celebrates gardening, landscape, history, poetry music and lots more besides.

The speakers forum at the Garden Festival features internationally renowned experts, along with a feast of outdoor music, an archery display, a children's programme full of surprises, open air entertainment, craft and food....making this festival an explosion of colour, scent, sound, texture and tastes to remember!

Check out the Galway Garden Festival website for more information on this years festival -

www.galwaygardenfestival.com

Spring Garden and Craft Fair on Sunday 31st March 2019 from 11am to 6pm

Join us at our 4th annual Spring Garden event. This event will have a wide variety of gardening exhibitors, mainly from the Irish Specialist Nurseries Association (ISNA) and the Made in Galway Craft & Food group. Come along and get your gardening questions answered and enjoy a light lunch, coffee and cakes in our cafe. A lovely treat for Mum on Mother's Day.

Medieval Armoured Combat Ireland and Gerry Cronnelly's Target Fitness 'training knight' on Sunday 13th January 2019 at 11am

If you always wanted to know what it takes to become a knight, here is your chance. Who knows, you could be part of their team to fight in The Claregalway Shield this summer! #ClaregalwayCastle #InspiringCastle #Castleairbnb

Claregalway Castle

Living History

Upcoming Events note