Merlinpark Castle

Merlinpark Castle
Merlin Castle
Type	tower house
Location	Merlin Park, Galway, County Galway, Ireland
Coordinates	53.27975°N 8.99808°W / 53.27975; -8.99808
Built	15th century[1]
Owner	State
Location of Merlinpark Castle in Ireland
National monument of Ireland
Official name	Merlinpark Castle
Reference no.	609[2]

Merlinpark Castle or Merlin Castle is a tower house and national monument located in County Galway, Ireland, close to the grounds of Merlin Park University Hospital.[3][4]

Location

Merlinpark Castle, also sometimes known as Merlin Castle or Doughiske Castle, is located 4 km (2½ mile) east-northeast of Galway city centre in the townland of Merlinpark.

History

While the area may have contained an earlier fortification associated with Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (King of Connacht and High King of Ireland in the 12th century),[5] the tower house of Merlin Castle dates from the 15th or 16th century.[1] It was owned by the Lynch family (Ó Loingsigh) in the 16th century.[4] Still in good condition, it was lived in until the mid-19th century.[6]

The tower house, which was known as 'Doughiske Castle' until the 18th century,[7] has the remains of a sheela na gig carving on the second floor.[8]

References

1. "Merlin Castle". visitgalway.ie. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
2. "National Monuments of County Galway in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 6. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
3. "Place names of Galway". places.galwaylibrary.ie. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016.
4. "Merlin Woods - Galway City Biodiversity". galwaybiodiversity.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016.
5. "Merlin Park". irishstones.org. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
6. "Merlin Park Castle Galway Ireland" – via flickr.com.^[better source needed]
7. "NMS mapping data - GA094-023----" – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com. GA094-023---- [..] Castle - tower house : Merlinpark [..] On a short rise in the former demesne of Merlin Park House. This Nat. Mon., known as 'Doughiske Castle' until the mid-18th C, was in existence in 1574 when it was in the possession of Stephan Lynch
8. "NMS mapping data - GA094-023001-" – via heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com. GA094-023001- [..] Sheela-na-gig : Merlinpark [..] Discovered in 2002 [..], this sheela-na-gig figure is carved onto the spandrel of singe-light ogee-headed window on the second floor of the S wall of Merlin Castle (GA094-023----)