Tyrellan Castle

The dispossessed Irish, as their hopes of restoration began to fail, with wives, sons and daughters around them starving, were furnishing recruits to the bands of Tories that since Cromwell's time, had gathered in wilds and woods avenging their wrongs on the possessors of their former properties.

"These men deprived of all that makes life valuable, are seen either resigning themselves to the sight of strangers sitting as masters at hearths that had been lately theirs, or frantic with despair and rage, rushing to the mountains or the forests to live there in rapine, murder and independence."

Views of Tyrellan castle and Newcastle; this is a photograph of an original print done by Hardiman c1824.

Sir Charles Coote, first Earl of Mountrath, and son of the first settler of that name in Ireland, Provost-Marshal of Connacht, already largely rewarded by Queen Elizabeth and King James I with the richest pasture land in Roscommon, obtained through oppressive purchases from the unfortunate Connacht transplanters, while he was the Chief Commissioner of the transplantation, some of these transplanters' lands at a shilling an acre, none higher than half a crown; and among other purchases the Castle and Demesne of Tyrellan on the river near Galway.

In 1659 Coote invited Colonel Sadlier, Governor of Galway, and his officers to drink a cup of wine at Tyrellan. Leaving his guests under some excuse, he went by boat with Colonel Sadlier to Galway and induced him to order the gates to be opened. Sir Charles had a party there ready to cry. "A Coote, a Coote," and "A Free Parliament," the secret rallying cry of the Royalists.

Tyrellan Castle was built by the Burkes, Lords of Connacht and Earls of Ulster, and was the residence of Lord Bophin. In 1560, Conor O'Brien, third Earl of Thomond, the victim of many raids by Sir Morough na d-tuadh O' Flaherty, raised a strong force of his kinsmen and marched through the Clanricarde territory to the ford at Tyrellan Castle. Here he was opposed by a body of Galway citizens who were defeated with heavy loss. Thomond crossed the Corrib, passed through Oughterard, and entered Joyce's country. Sir Morough O' Flaherty fled to the mountains of Connemara beyond Thomand's reach. The victorious Munstermen returned to Ennis with much booty after laying waste a great part of Iar-Connacht and slaying many of the O' Flaherty's.