Lehrin Castle (in ruins)

In undulating pastureland immediately E of a small house cluster. According to OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 103), this castle belonged to 'a branch of the Mac Davids Burke of Glinks and [was] built by Nuala na meadoige Ny Fionachtaigh'. All that survives is a rubble-strewn mound (L 9m, Wth 8m, H 1.5m). This is apparently the result of recent collapse as aerial reconnaissance in July 1969 (CUCAP AYQ 72) indicates that NE wall and an adjoining section of NW wall of a rectilinear building then survived to a height of at least two storeys. Two frayed opes were visible in NE wall. Apart from some traces of the foundations of SW wall, nothing is now visible. The castle appears to have stood in E corner of a roughly square bawn (L/Wth c. 40m), sections of NE wall of which stand up to 2.4m in height. Adjoining this on SE side, and at a lower level, is a second bawn-like area (c. 60m by c. 50m), roughly rectangular in plan and partially defined by an earthen bank. An earthwork (GA018-036004-) lies within the latter. Further earthwork lie to SW, including a number of small fields and the outline of a possible rectangular building. (Melvin c. 1971, 12) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

Lehrin Castle was built by Nuala na mBhean of the Mac Davids Burke family in the 13th or 14th century. It is remembered as a minor medieval stronghold associated with a prominent Irish Gaelic lineage.