A Gilbertine abbey that once briefly served as a cathedral, a ruined hilltop castle standing guard above it, a lakeside fort that survived a burned-out royal Christmas in 1315 and a decisive siege in 1691, a church begun in the Famine and finished decades later, and a roofless 1827 ruin sharing its graveyard with a chapel two centuries older again. Looking for things to do in Ballymore? Start here — no car, no ticket, no booking.
Medieval & CastlesEcclesiasticalGeorgian & Big HousesFamine HeritageRevolutionary & Military
Opens the free interactive app — point your phone at each stop and hear it speak, in 12 languages.
Stops on This Trail
Plary Abbey
Clare Castle (ruins)
Ballymore Fort (Lough Sewdy siege site)
Catholic Church of the Most Holy Redeemer
St Owen's Church (ruins)
For Schools
This trail is also available as a free printable classroom worksheet or full trail booklet — no site visit required. See how Classroom Prep Mode works →