Annaghkeen Castle (in Ruins) — Annaghkeen

On the shore of a small bay on E shore of Lough Corrib. According to Nolan (1901a, 28-9), this castle was already in existence in 1324, and in 1574 it was held by 'Moyler McReamon (a Burke)'. It consists of a rectangular keep (L 15.5m, Wth 105.m) of 13th-C date, in fair condition, originally of two storeys with a later tower. The original doorway was on 1st floor at E end of SE wall. There are also doorways in SE and NW walls on ground floor. Intramural stairways in NE wall connected the ground/1st floors and the 1st floor to the wall-walks (now gone). There is also an intramural stairs in SW wall at 1st-floor level. A doorway in NW corner on 1st floor gave access to a later addition at W end of NW wall. This comprises an almost square three-storey latrine tower (L 5m, Wth 4m), vaulted between ground/1st and 1st/2nd floors. Its construction may have coincided with the addition of a third storey at W end of the keep. Apart from a small lintelled ope in SW wall, all the windows dressings are robbed out. An enigmatic alcove is also visible on outer face of this wall on ground floor. There is a fragment of masonry (L 9m), possibly another building or a bawn wall, running NE-SW, just SW of the tower. (Fahey 1893, 170; Nolan 1901b, 118; O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 181) In February 2014 a carved stone head was noted on the the SE wall of the castle at 2nd-floor level as well as another possible one that was overgrown with ivy (pers. comm. S. Aylward). 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). It has been updated in light of recent information. Revised by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 11 April 2014