Monea Castle

Monea Castle stands in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, on the site of an earlier Maguire castle. A crannog from the original structure remains visible nearby. Built in 1616, the castle was later expanded with a bawn in 1622. During the 1641 rebellion, Rory Maguire attacked the castle while it sheltered Protestants. The ruins sit in the townland of Castletown Monea, marking a key moment in the Plantation era. The site is worth visiting for its layered history and dramatic past. It shows how early 17th-century settlers fortified their homes against local resistance. The attack by Rory Maguire highlights the tensions of the time. The visible crannog adds an older layer of settlement to the story. These features make it a rare example of Plantation-era conflict preserved in stone. Visitors find the ruins of a three-storey tower house and the surrounding bawn walls. The remains stand on a slight rise, offering views over the countryside. The crannog lies close by in the water, a reminder of earlier occupation. The site is quiet and open, allowing time to explore the ruins and imagine its turbulent history.