Ballymore Castle
Description
Ballymore Castle in Lawrencetown, County Galway, was built in 1585 by John Lawrence on land he had acquired through his marriage to a daughter of O'Madden, Lord of Longford. The castle Ballymore suffered much during the subsequent wars and was repaired by Walter Lawrence, who erected a commemorative marble chimney-piece in one of the upper rooms of the Castle, bearing his initials W.L. 1620.
During the Williamite wars, Patrick Sarsfield sent Ulick Burke to hold Ballymore. In early June 1691, Burke and about 1200 defenders encamped in a fort on the shores of Lough Seudy. A smaller force occupied the castle, which de Ginkell attacked first. The sergeant and his small band resisted, and when eventually they were captured, de Ginkell hanged the sergeant before turning his attention to the fort.
The fort was besieged by artillery on the land side, approached on the water by boats, the governor, Colonel Ulick deemed it right to surrender on the following day. De Ginkell remained at Ballymore for a further ten days, to prepare his troops for their next engagement at Athlone.
The castle was modernised and a two-story house added to the castle in 1815, featuring a central bow with a curved fanlighted doorway.