Menlo Castle (with kids)

This was a beautiful spot to see some history and the ruins of what I’m sure once was a gorgeous building that bad become covered in ivy. The ivy provided its own character and certainly a great deal of beauty to the stone work. Unfortunately, as we know, ivy, though beautiful, is no friend to the structures it swallows in time. This place has gone through some changes since my previous visits. Wh...

The castle was built on the site of a mid-16th-century tower, first recorded in 1569. It was occupied by Thomas Colman in 1574 and sold to the Blake family in 1598. • Blake Family: The Blakes, of Anglo-Norman descent, settled in Galway in the 13th century and became one of the wealthiest families in the region, owning lands in the counties of Galway, Mayo and Clare. They expanded the castle, addin...

The castle is closed, and the only way in is through a side path that’s overgrown with weeds. Inside, there’s some scattered trash, but the interior itself is off-limits. Next to it, there’s a small turret-like structure, but it’s covered in graffiti, which ruins any charm it might have had. The area in front of the castle that used to be full of tall grass has been cleared, but unfortunately, tha...

Although the ivy has been removed, there is still something very majestic about this XVI century castle, located on the banks of River Corri. The caste was a home to the Blake’s family until the early XX century, when a fire led to its abandonment. It is now home to numerous crows and ducks. The gate is reportedly closed to prevent cattle from escaping. Don’t forget your PPE :)

Reviewing to let folks know that the castle is not accessible. You have to trespass technically to get to it. Today I went with a friend because we thought it was “open”. We had to walk about 10 min from the road but all fences were locked. The area is stunning but not worth trespassing on someone’s land! Many signs say no parking, no entry.