# Castle Balfour

- **Country:** Ireland
- **Coordinates:** 54.250300, -7.445470
- **Notes:** Although Castle Balfour is a ruin, it is one of the best preserved of Plantation era castles. Castle Balfour (also known as Castle Skeagh) was erected around 1619 by Lord Michael Balfour when the land was granted to him by King James I. The castle was altered in 1652 and damaged in 1689. The last person to possess and inhabit the Castle was James Haire who leased the castle from Earl Erne. The Haire family ceased to live in the castle when it was razed by an unknown arsonist. Major conservation and restoration was undertaken in the 1960s and further conservation work was completed in the late 1990s. Recent Radiocarbon on a ringfort that belonged to the Macguires (the primary suspects in the above arson) on the grounds of the castle date back to 359–428 AD.
- **Year Built:** c. 1620
- **Castle Type:** Castle
- **Location Text:** Lisnaskea

Castle Balfour is a ruined historic monument located in Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Situated just west of Main Street at the edge of the parish graveyard, the structure stands within the townland of Castle Balfour Demesne. Originally known as Castle-skeagh, the site was granted during the Plantation of Ulster by King James I to Michael Balfour, 1st Lord Balfour of Burleigh, a nobleman from Fife, Scotland. Although Michael received the land, he sold it to his younger brother, James Balfour, in 1615. Construction on the castle began shortly thereafter, with reports from Captain Nicholas Pynnar in 1618 confirming that building works were underway. The settlement of Lisnaskea eventually developed around this fortified residence.

The architectural history of the castle reflects centuries of conflict and adaptation. The structure underwent significant alterations in 1652 and sustained damage during the turmoil of 1689. Its final chapter as a inhabited home ended in 1803 when an arson-based fire destroyed the building. At the time of this destruction, the castle was leased by James Haire from John Creighton, the 1st Earl of Erne, making Haire the last person to possess and reside within its walls. Following the fire, the property was abandoned and has since remained in a ruined state.

Today, Castle Balfour serves as a State Care Historic Monument managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. While no longer habitable, the ruins stand as a tangible reminder of the Scottish plantation era in Ulster and the region's turbulent past. The site is notable for its direct connection to the Balfour family, who played a pivotal role in the local history of Fermanagh during the seventeenth century. Visitors can view the remnants of the castle, which continue to mark the historical landscape of Lisnaskea next to the active cemetery.

![Photo of Castle Balfour](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Balfour_Castle%2C_Lisnaskea_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1270778.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Balfour (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)