Galway Castle facts for kids
Galway Castle was an important castle in Galway, County Galway, Ireland. It stood as a strong fortress for many centuries.
Building the First Castle
The first Galway Castle was built in 1124. It was ordered by Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair, who was the King of Connacht. Back then, it was known by its Irish name, Caislen Dún Gaillimhe, which means 'the Castle of Fort Galway'.
Old historical records, like the Annals of Tigernach, mention that this castle was built by the people of Connacht. It was one of the very first buildings in Ireland that was truly called a castle. These early castles were strong stone forts, often built with wood too. They were special because they combined local Irish building styles with new ideas. Galway Castle was even used as a naval base, helping to protect the kingdom's ships.
Life in Gaelic Galway
Galway Castle faced many attacks over the years. In 1132, Cormac Mac Carthaig, the King of Munster, destroyed it. It was attacked again in 1149 by Toirdelbhach mac Diarmaida Ua Briain, another King of Munster.
In 1161, the castle accidentally caught fire, but it seems it was rebuilt soon after. Some old writings suggest that when the castle was attacked in 1132, the nearby town was also "plundered and burned." This shows that even back then, Galway was a place with some trade and a small community. People might have been fishing and trading, possibly even importing wine from places like Bristol in England.
Norman Galway and Its Discovery
In 1232, Richard de Burgh, a powerful Norman lord, captured Galway Castle. He rebuilt it using Norman designs, making it even stronger. However, the castle was destroyed at least two more times by Irish attacks before 1249.
The castle is last mentioned in 1282. At that time, the town of Galway was earning enough money from trade to pay for repairs to the castle. This shows how important the castle was to the town's safety and success.
For a long time, the exact location of the Norman de Burgh castle was a mystery. But in January 2018, archaeologists made an exciting discovery! They found the remains of the 13th-century de Burgh castle in Galway's medieval quarter. This find helped historians learn more about the castle's long and eventful past.
