Every year, another castle surfaces. A local farmer mentions old walls in a field. A researcher cross-references a 17th-century map with a townland name. An archaeological survey turns up foundations where nobody expected them. The story of the O’Dubhda castles is one that refuses to sit still — because we’re still writing it. The Famous “20 Castles” — or Is It 24? Or More? If you’ve read anything about the O’Dubhda (O’Dowd) clan, you’ve probably encountered the claim that our ancestors “ringed their territory with 20 castles.” It’s a powerful image — a network of fortifications stretching across what is now County Mayo and County Sligo, from Lough Conn to Drumcliff Bay, protecting a kingdom that endured for centuries against the Burkes, the Birminghams, and eventually the English Crown. The clan historian Conor Mac Hale spent years researching and locating these castle sites. His work gave us a list of names and locations that has been cited ever since — from Wikipedia to genealogy forums to our own pages. But here’s where it gets complicated. The truth is, we don’t actually know how many castles, fortifications, and strongholds the O’Dubhda maintained. The commonly cited number is 20, but Tony Dowd’s family archives reference 24 castles and 52 towns. And honestly? The exact number doesn’t really matter. What matters is the picture it paints: a clan that strategically fortified an entire kingdom across hundreds of square miles of coastline, river valleys, and rolling hills — at least 24 locations of strategic importance, likely more, forming a defensive ring around O’Dubhda lands that held for centuries. New sites continue to surface. Some we can confirm. Some remain tantalisingly uncertain. The number keeps growing. What Is a “Castle,” Anyway? When most people hear “castle,” they picture towering stone walls, a drawbridge, maybe a moat. The reality of O’Dubhda fortifications is far more varied — and far more interesting. Our ancestors built, occupied, and adapted: Tower houses — the classic Irish “10-Pound Castles,” named after a subsidy granted by Henry IV in 1429. Small, sturdy, and built for defence. Castleconnor, built around 1520 by Conor O’Dowd, is a prime example. Fortified bawns — walled enclosures like Roslee Castle at Easkey (built 1207) and Tanrego Castle overlooking Ballysadare Bay. Adapted Norman castles — fortifications originally built by Anglo-Norman invaders that the O’Dowds captured, contested, or burned. Ballymote Castle, torched by our ancestors in 1588, is the most dramatic example. Ancient ringforts — earthen fortifications predating any stone castle by centuries. Rath O’Dubhda in Doonfeeney, Co. Mayo, is the ancestral ringfort of the entire clan and still exists today as an earthwork. Signal towers and strategic sites — Carrowmably in Tireragh sits on a prehistoric henge, later topped by a Napoleonic signal tower in 1804. Not a “castle” in any traditional sense, but a site of continuous strategic importance on O’Dubhda land. Later manor houses — grand buildings like Belleek Castle (now a hotel) and Enniscoe House (a Georgian mansion on Lough Conn) were built centuries after the O’Dubhda era, often on or near the sites of earlier fortifications. But crucially, the current buildings are not the O’Dowd castles — and in some cases, they aren’t even on the same spot as the original. So when we say “24 castles,” what we really mean is at least 24 locations of strategic and historical importance to the clan — some with dramatic ruins, some with later buildings standing nearby, some with nothing visible above ground at all, and some where the connection is territorial rather than through direct ownership. The Castles We Know About Here’s what we’ve identified so far. And we emphasise so far. Direct O’Dubhda Castles — Ruins Still Standing These are sites where the O’Dubhda built or directly controlled a fortification, and where physical remains survive: Enniscrone Castle Co. Sligo — Also called Field Castle or O’Dowd’s Castle. First fortified in the late 14th century. Currently the subject of active preservation efforts. Roslee Castle, Easkey Co. Sligo — A fortified bawn at Easkey pier, built in 1207. Freely accessible with stunning coastal views. Castleconnor Castle Co. Sligo — A tower house on the River Moy, built around 1520 by Conor O’Dowd. The current ruins may not be on the exact original castle location. Castletown / Cottlestown Co. Sligo — A 13th or 14th-century fortified administrative centre in Tireragh. Baile an Chaisleáin — “Town of the Castle.” Rathlee Castle Co. Sligo — Originally Norman-built, later controlled by the O’Dubhda as the dominant power in Tireragh. Image coming soon Ardnaglass Castle Co. Sligo — A ruin in the parish of Skreen, part of the defensive network. Image coming soon Tanrego Castle Co. Sligo — A fortified bawn on Ballysadare Bay. Appears on Browne’s 1589 map of Sligo. Grangemore Co. Sligo — A castle ruin adjacent to an ancient burial ground in Templeboy. Originally an O’Colman castle, integrated into the O’Dowd network. Image coming soon Carn Amhalghaigh Killala Bay, Mayo/Sligo border — Built in 1477. The inauguration site where each new O’Dowd prince was invested. Now in ruins. Image coming soon Lecan Castle Near Enniscrone, Co. Sligo — Home of the MacFirbis scholars who wrote the Great Book of Lecan (1397–1418). Only a fragment of wall remains. O’Dubhda Territory — Later Buildings on Castle Sites At these locations, an O’Dubhda castle or fortification once existed, but the current building is from a later era — and may not be on the exact original site: Belleek Castle Ballina, Co. Mayo — Now a hotel (1825–1831). A 13th-century tower house existed here, but the hotel is not the O’Dowd castle. Mount Falcon River Moy, Co. Mayo — Now a hotel. A castle existed in this area but the current 19th-century estate is a later construction. Private residence Longford House Near Ballysadare, Co. Sligo — Part of the castle network (listed as “Lomford”). Recently sold as a private residence. Image coming soon Bonniconlon House Co. Mayo — Listed as “Beaufield” in older records. In O’Dubhda territory but details of