Feartagar Castle, County Galway

Feartagar Castle
Located at Castlegrove, 5 miles north of Tuam, on Ballinrobe road. This tower was built by the De Burgos in the 15th century and the De Burgos lived here until they were dispossessed by the Cromwellians in 1651. Cromwell benefactors inhabited the estate and castle itself for a short while until eventually the lands and castle fell into the hands of the Blakes of Tuam and the Jennings who where living there where given an estate in Ironpool.

As was the practice at the time a more comfortable residence was built adjacent to the castle. The big house constructed by the Blakes was three storeys high including the basement. It was a magnificent structure and was one of the finest houses in County Galway. Set in the dense woodland, rich in game and close to Claureen Lake the inhabitants were never short of prey.

The most famous of its landlords was Edward Blake. The Blakes were protectors of the nearby castle and Edward Blake is said to have created an iron door at the entrance and put up a plaque to commemorate this. In 1886 on the death of Edward, the lands and house were sold to a John Cannon. This branch of the Blakes emigrated and eventually settled in Canada. One of them became a K.C. (Kings council) and was a member of the Old Irish parliament in 1889 being an M.P. for County Longford.
The Castle Man