What is recorded here

Cooltymurraghy holds a broken semicircle of earth and shadow rather than a castle of stone. In 1574 Gyllernew Odonellan possessed it, suggesting a family home or local stronghold nestled beside ordinary farmland. The field boundary cuts across its northern edge like a knife through memory, while faint banks inside hint at rooms, yards or shelters now lost. It is not grand on the page, but it is still shaped, still marked and still present in the land.

In farmland. In existence in 1574 when it was in the possession of 'Gyllernew Odonellan' (Nolan 1901b, 110). On 3rd ed. of OS 6-inch map (1947), the castle is shown by a cross-shaped symbol within a semicircular enclosure (E-W c. 60m) immediately S of an ESE-WNW running field boundary. No visible surface trace of it survives but the enclosure is still extant. It consists of a semicircular area (ESE-WNW 53m) defined by two degraded banks and an intervening fosse from ESE through S to WNW. It is apparently truncated along N side by the field boundary. Traces of a possible causeway are visible at SE. A number of banks are visible in the interior. Another possible enclosure (GA099-072----) lies immediately N of the field boundary and may be associated. 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

Lisnashiel Castle was held by Gyllernew O'Donellan in 1574 and is remembered as a historical site associated with the O'Donellan family, an influential Gaelic clan in the region. Its location and remains provide insight into early modern Irish castle architecture and landholding patterns.

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