Clonbrock House - Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh
Co-ordinates: N 53 23 30 W 8 22 25
Clonbrock Castle is a large relatively well preserved tower house of rectangular plan. It now stands within the demesne of the later Clonbrock House which was surrounded by dense undergrowth until recently while a substantial amount of ivy still shrouds the structure. The building measures 13.2 m long by 11.22 m wide and while it has clearly undergone many alterations in recent centuries, much of the original layout may still be established.
Brief History
The Dillon family of Clonbrock was among the Anglo-Norman families to settle in Connaught. A junior branch of the family first established themselves at Clonbrock sometime in the 1580s. It was designed by William Leeson and was built to replace the old castle, which remained un-attacked until 1907 when it was accidentally burned in a fire that resulted from a fireworks display on the estate to celebrate the birth of the 2nd Lord Clonbrock’s son and heir.
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