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On an outcrop of rock immediately W of a house cluster: the site overlooks a large tract of bogland to W. Named as 'Craobh Castle' by Wilde (1872, 31) who also records that it was owned by 'Croabh Ni Burca'. According to Nolan (1901a, 46), this may well be the 'Yowghvle' castle mentioned in the list of 1574, then in the possession of 'John Lynch fitz Wm' (ibid. 1901b, 118). What survives are the fragmentary and completely ivy-mantled ruins of a rectangular bawn (E-W c. 40m, N-S c. 32m). The S and W walls appear to be the best preserved (Wth 3m, H 4m), while part of E wall has been incorporated into a ball alley; little trace of N wall survives. It appears to have been defended by at last three circular turrets, one of which is situated on S wall (D 6m). However, the relationship between the other turrets, to NE and SE, and the surviving wall fragments is unclear, possibly suggesting a number of phases of building. The S tower is adjoined on N by a later rectangular structure (N-S 7.5m, E-W 6m). Traces of a possible rectangular building, its long axis running N-S, are also discernible in E sector of the interior adjacent to the disused ball alley. This may be the site of the 'square tower in tolerably good preservation', mentioned in OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 271).
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
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