Loughrea Castle (also known as Cloghan Castle) is a castle located in Loughrea, County Galway, Ireland.
The castle was built by Richard de Burgh, Lord of Connaught in 1236.
[1] They were one of the most ancient and influential families in Irish history.
[2] The town of Loughrea was later fortified with a town wall, gates and a moat to the north, east and west, with Lough Rea as a natural defence to the south.
For centuries the castle stood abandoned, until a historically accurate restoration programme was completed in late 1996.