Parke's Castle, Manorhamilton, Ireland

Parke's Castle (also known as Newtown Castle and O'Rourke's Castle) is a 17th century semi-fortified manor house, situated on the northeast shore of Lough Gill. The castle is built on the site of an earlier sixteenth-century O'Rourke (Uí Ruairc) Gaelic tower house. The castle and bawn had come into the possession of Robert Parke by 1628, possibly earlier. He had been granted some of the former O'Rourke lands as part of the Plantations. By 1635, Parke had completed his fortified manor house on the site of the older Gaelic castle.

Once the Parke family were deceased, the castle passed to the Gore family by the late 1670s, and the manor house was last lived in around 1700. The building quickly became a ruin and remained uninhabited for over 300 years. The bawn was used as a farmyard and stables by the residents of Newtown village right up until the mid-20th century. The building was acquired by the Office of Public Works in 1935.

Excavations directed by Claire Foley between 1971 and 1975 revealed the foundations of O'Rourke's tower house and a number of other structures within the bawn. The castle was restored and refurbished between 1980 and 1988, and has been open to the public on a seasonal basis since 1990.

References:

Wikipedia

Castles and fortifications in Ireland

User Reviews

Sharon Duffy (2 years ago)
A gem, a short distance from Sligo Town. We opted to walk around ourselves, but you can have a guided tour, we just didn't have yhe time. The receptionist was full of information and a delight to deal with. Just remember when going to visit, they dont have card facilities, so bring cash. Truly enjoyed it. ????

Matthew Coxall (2 years ago)
Really interesting place to visit, and the scenery around the castle is absolutely stunning! The guides very knowledgeable and really friendly. Highly recommended.

František (2 years ago)
Gorgeous castle, very well reconstructed. Well worth 5 euros visit. I also really enjoyed the exhibition of vernacular architecture. Beautiful views on the lake.

Justin Meighan (2 years ago)
Super Spot!!! Plenty of parking just in front of the castle. The lady who greeted us at the reception desk could not have been friendlier or more helpful!! We paid €5 each, with the kids going free if under 12. There is a 20 minute video giving the history of the castle just off the entrance. There are also hourly guided tours, however u are free to explore at your own leisure...which is probably better if you have young kids. Off the courtyard there are a few buildings to explore before you follow a lone way tour of the castle and battlements. Each room has different material and is well presented. There is a small garden off the courtyard with great views of the lake. Well worth a visit!

Ani Lyn (2 years ago)
My family had a wonderful time here! Lots of fun and interesting history and a very knowledgeable and fun tour guide that was able to answer all of our questions. Beautifully kept with gorgeous views of Lough Gill (if you’re lucky you can walk down and catch the tour boat around the lake as well)

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