THE CASTLE OF TÍR OILEÁIN

by Tom Kenny

The Library of Congress in Washington gave us this 1913 photograph of the ruins of the castle of Tír Oileáin, or Tirellan, sometimes wrongly referred to as Terryland, and now generally known as Oldcastle. It was strategically very important as it commanded the river at a point where there was a ford. It was a De Burgh castle.

According to the late County Librarian, Sam Maguire, the De Burghs were hereditary enemies of the O’Flaherties of Aughanure. They besieged Aughanure which eventually surrendered and they forced the O’Flaherties to pay an annual tribute in the form of corn, cattle and wool to the De Burghs and their heirs forever. For 3 years O’Flaherty refused to pay and De Burgh sent his son to Aughanure to demand payment. On delivering the demand, young De Burgh was murdered and beheaded. His head was placed in a bag and carried by O’Flaherty’s youngest son with instructions to ‘take the bag to Tirellan Castle and tell the earl of Ulster that your father, O’Flaherty of Aughanure, sent it as his tribute to him and that it is the only tribute the O’Flaherties will ever pay him or his descendants’.

Young O’Flaherty set off on his father’s favourite horse Dílis, soon passed Daingean, reached the western suburbs of Galway and having entered by St. James’ Gate, passed through In-Sparra-Hier, crossed the West Bridge under the middle and inner gates, rode up through Bridge-Gate St., Market St., Gaol St., High Middle St., when, turning left, he passed through Little Gate St. and out by the Abbey Gate in Blake’s Tower and soon reached the outer fortifications of Tirellan. He threw the bag with the head into the courtyard, turned and again galloped back through the town.

De Burgh’s men crossed the river to intercept him at Newcastle which they reached as he was riding by on Dílis. One of the men threw a spear which missed the rider but pierced the horse’s flank. Dílis pressed on however until the loss of blood caused him to drop dead on Borenacranny Hill. The De Burgh men were surprised, on reaching the top of the hill, to meet a large O’Flaherty force and the Earl’s men were driven back. Few of those who crossed the river survived. De Burgh decided that O’Flaherty of Aughanure would have little difficulty in attacking him as it was only necessary to break down the road from Abbey Gate to Tirellan. He never felt safe in Tirellan after this episode so he built a new castle beyond Galway to the north, furnished it expensively and took up residence there. He spent only one night in his new home, which received the name of Castlegar, and removed to Portumna which became his principal residence.

Tirellan Castle was burned to the ground by the Irish garrison during the siege of Galway in 1691.