Aughnanure Castle Built in the 16th century by the O'Flaherty's, one of Connacht's most notable lordly families, Aughnanure Castle is one of the noblest of all the tower houses of the Province and lies in picturesque surroundings close to the shores of Lough Corrib. Aughnanure Castle is one of well over 200 tower houses in County Galway built by large,wealthy, land owing families, mainly of Gaelic but some of Old English (Anglo-Norman) stock.

Tower Houses are fortified residences and were places of power and control over the surrounding lands. The name Aughnanure comes from the Gaelic Achadh na nlubhar, the field of the yews, of which one old specimen remains nearby. Situated on the banks of the Drimneen River, which flows into the western side of Lough Corrib, 3km from Oughterard, the site was well chosen, as the river flows gently beneath the low cliff on which the castle was built, allowing boats bringing up supplies, to come right up to the gate of the fortification. Standing on what is virtually a rocky island, the Castle is a particularly well-preserved example of an Irish tower house. In addition, visitors will find the remains of a banqueting hall, a watch tower, an unusual double bawn and bastions and a dry harbour.

Inchagoill
On Inchagoill Island, Lough Corrib, Co Galway, facing the front of a small church , named Templepatrick, believed to have been built by St Patrick, lies a memorial stone with the inscription, "Lie Luguaedon macci Menueh" (Stone of Luguaedon son of Menueh), this is the oldest inscription in Ireland done in Roman letters. This is said to be the burial place of St Patricks nephew. This dates back to around 500 AD and may be a transliteration of an earlier Ogham inscription.

Situated: On Inchagoill Island, Lough Corrib, Co Galway. There are boat trips to the Island during the summer season, from Oughterard Pier in Co Galway and also from Cong in Co Mayo.

Oughterard Courthouse The Courthouse is located on the Main St. practically centered between the Protestant and Catholic Church's. The Courthouse was designed by William Calbeck in approx. 1840. The building comprises of a basement and a ground floor, which at present accommodates the court sittings and a section which incorporates the County Council Library. The Courthouse is also used as a polling station for elections. The front of the Courthouse also has an impressive cast iron railing on a plinth, which reflects a part of bygone years.

Kirk Castle - Castle of The Hen (Caislean-na-Circe) (Hill of Doon, Glann Rd., Oughterard)
Between Maam and Doon, Lough Obsen's (Lake Corrib's) deep, sometimes ominous waters flow, free from islands except for the rock on which the ancient Hen's Castle of the O'Connor's and the O'Flaherty's stands. The Lord Justice, in 1225, caused Odo O'Flatherty to give up Kirk Castle to Odo O'Connor, King of Connaught; for assurance of his fidelity.
Castle of the Hen is considered to be the oldest fortress of its kind in Ireland, and it is undoubtedly one of the best built. When first built and well-defended, with good food stores, this castle must have been impregnable. The rocks slope abruptly into the water on all sides. It is only accessible in a few places. The castle is steeped in history and legend.

One such mythical tradition suggests that the O'Flaherty's, Gaelic Lords of Connemara, realizing the difficulties of building a large Castle in such a place, hired a witch to build it using magic. In a day and a night of casting spells she succeeded in creating the castle. She left a magic hen to look after it, warning that as long as the hen was looked after, the castle would remain secure. Everything went well until severe weather conditions made life difficult and they were forced to use up food stores, as it was impossible to go to the mainland for fresh supplies. With empty bellies, they felt there was not any choice other than to eat the hen. Shortly after this, the Norman knight, de Burgo, laid siege to the castle. The garrison was starved out and the castle demolished. History states that in Elizabethan times there was a policy of 'Divide and Conquer', which was used effectively throughout the sixteenth century.

It weakened Gaelic power and the peace of Connaught was broken, as it meant the return of inter-tribal warfare, each sept attempting to take advantage of the situation. Granuaile's husband, Donal-an-Chogaidh, Tániste-elect to the Chieftain, had much to lose as the fight for power erupted among the O'Flaherty Septs. The old customs were under threat. Donal-an-Chogaidh died at the hands of his old enemies, the Joyces, in an attack on Kirk Castle. On account of his courage at defending the castle, they nicknamed him "Donal An Cullagh, (The Cock). The Joyces descended on "Cocks Castle", they thought it would be a 'pushover' but they had not bargained on Granuaille who, with her husband's clansmen, defended the castle with skill and bravery -- so much so that the castle was renamed 'Hen's Castle', (Caislean-na-Circa), the name it has to this day.

In the nineteenth Century this historic ruin was vandalized and hundreds of its stones were removed to build houses in the area. The interior of the Keep is now a mass of stones and weeds, but it is still a very impressive sight. It is not too hard to visualize what this Castle must have looked like hundreds of years ago.