Ballybrit Castle is probably the most filmed of all our Castles in Castlegar Galway.
Often indirectly captured, this Castle is within the confines of the Ballybrit Racecourse and would have been included as the Cameras panned to follow the Racing.
- Coordinates: 53.294012 , -8.997831
- Elevation: 144 feet or 43.89 metres above sea level.
- Dynamic Map (open in new window) .
- This is another Burke house, refurbished in the early '90's with the help of 7,500 pounds from the National Lottery, and distributed by the National Heritage Council.
- This structure is rectangular, with its longer sides facing North - East and South - West.
- Locals were employed at Race times, to prevent "young lads" from climbing and entering, in the past.
- Defensive and narrow windows, may suggest the "political climate", when it was built.
- Another asset in the physical Heritage of both Ballybrit and Castlegar.
- In Ruins by 1840 - Samuel Lewis.
- "Redmond Mc Thomas is given in 1586 as owner of Ballybrit Castle in the Parish of Castlegar." Google Books.
- There is another of the same name, up the Country.
- The inner section of the Racecourse was free to enter, and so attracted Families and enevitably, Children. Sean Casserly from Two Mile Ditch, was delegated the job of basically restricting entry to the Castle - it wasn't just Children eager to climb anything, but the vantage point of this Building, from which the entire course could be seen and without the expense of having to pay into the enclosure and Stands. It wasn't exactly safe, and wasn't considered to be safe - thus, this measure.
Photos
Some more excellent photos taken by Paul
^ The North Face - between the Castle and the Main Stands.
^ With the facade above, another door with a straight lentil is visible. Another opening is above it to the right.
^Some renovation work was done a few years ago, and you may note the new surrounds of the window slit on the left. One doorway with an arch is also visible and it is permanently blocked with concrete blocks. This facade faces toward the Lisheen Graveyard.
^ A clearer view, of that door.
^ The Stands, visible in the background.
Ballybrit House
Ballybrit House was a separate structure, to the South West of this position. It doesn't exist anymore, but was there, post the 1840's. We're currently trying to refine the coordinates of where it was and what is there.