Lynch's Castle

A visitor to Galway in 1614 noted the city's prosperous appearance. He was especially struck by the elegant townhouses with finely cut stone facades, fortified with "faire battlement, in an uniform course". These houses would have been owned by Galway's leading merchant families, the "fourteen tribes of Galway". The Lynch family were one of the leading "tribes". Lynch's Castle (now an Allied Irish Bank) is one of the best examples of a 16th century townhouse. The finely cut stone lintels, coat of arms and fine stone fireplaces in the interior are well worth a look.