My daughter was at summer college in the Connemara Gaeltacht, so while visiting on family day one Sunday in July, we had prepared a picnic and did the very scary drive from Lettermore to Oughterard. My trusty (though now out of print) Guide to National & Historic Monuments of Ireland, by Peter Harbison, had alerted me to the existence of Aughnanure Castle, 2 miles outside Oughterard. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful moat - the Drimneen river.
The original castle dates from the 13th century, but what stands there now is a 16th century tower house castle.
The sentry stairs are completely intact, but. for health & safety reasons I'm sure, there is a "no climbing" sign nearby. Authenticity is maintained without a safety hand rail.
One can enter the tower, walking up spiral stairs to several large rooms, but it is the out buildings and walls that are most interesting.
I almost missed the amazing carvings on the windows as they are only visible from one side of the wall.
Several windows had these intricate carvings on them, and one had to walk on what one would consider the exterior in order to see them.
In fact, the wall was not an exterior wall but an interior wall marking the banquet hall, which was no longer apparent.
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