Tully Castle

Tully Castle, known in Irish as Caisleán na Tulaí meaning "castle on the hill," is a historic fortress located in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Situated near the village of Blaney on the southern shore of Lower Lough Erne, the structure was originally constructed for Sir John Hume, a Scottish planter involved in the Plantation of Ulster. The surrounding area derives its name from Sir Edward Blaney, another key figure in the English advance party sent to organize the region. As a plantation castle, it represents a specific era of colonial expansion and settlement in Ulster during the early seventeenth century.

The site holds profound historical significance due to a tragic event during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. On Christmas Eve, rebel leader Rory Maguire arrived to recapture his ancestral lands, finding the castle occupied primarily by women and children while most men were absent. Although Lady Mary Hume surrendered under the belief that safe conduct had been guaranteed for everyone inside, the Maguires massacred sixty women and children along with fifteen men on Christmas Day, sparing only the Hume family. Following this atrocity, the castle was burned, and the Humes never returned to the property.

Today, Tully Castle stands as a ruined structure and is designated as a State Care Historic Monument within the townland of Tully. Managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the site serves as a somber reminder of the violent conflicts that shaped the region's history. While the building itself is no longer inhabited and remains in a state of ruin, it is preserved for its archaeological and cultural value. Visitors can explore the grounds to learn about the plantation era and the devastating events of 1641 that forever marked this location on the shores of Lough Erne.