Castle in Ruins — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

Carrowkeel is a hidden castle mound beside the Clydagh River in County Mayo, marked on maps since 1837 but now buried under grass, soil and forgetfulness. The river still passes within thirty metres, curving past the north end of a camping park where caravans wheel above what may have been walls. No stone shows, yet the mound holds its shape like a body waiting to be remembered.

In a wide bend of the Clydagh River which curves to flow by the W and N before turning S to flow c. 30m to the E of the monument which is currently located at the N end of a camping and caravan park. Marked ‘Castle in ruins’ on the first edition (1837) of the OS 6-inch map and ‘Castle (Site of)’ on the later, Cassini edition (1920) of the map. A substantial tree-covered, roughly circular mound (base diams. 26m N-S; 24m E-W) is steep-sided along the N (H 2.2m), E (H 3m) and S (H 2.2m) but slopes more gently on the W (H 1.5m). The mound narrows to a fairly level upper surface which is oval shaped in plan (diams. 12m N-S; 5m E-W). No masonry is obviously visible but some is likely to be contained in the body of the mound. Date of visit: 28-2-2025 Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Leo Morahan

Built in the late 13th or early 14th century by the O'Kellys, a prominent Gaelic Irish clan of the region. The castle is remembered as part of the medieval defensive and political landscape of Connacht, reflecting the power struggles and territorial divisions of the time.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.