Overview
On Christmas Eve 1641, Rory Maguire’s men took Tully Castle after Lady Mary Hume surrendered it on terms – then broke the terms and killed fifteen men and sixty women and children. The house was burned and never lived in again. That is the weight this ruin carries, set on Tully Point where a narrow peninsula runs into Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh. It’s free, it takes half an hour to an hour, and it sits about 10 miles (16 km) north-west of Enniskillen off the A46 Loughshore Road.
History
Tully Castle was built for Sir John Hume, a Scottish planter, in the early 1610s – a fortified house with a rectangular bawn and four corner towers, part status symbol, part stronghold on the Plantation of Ulster frontier. The Scots and English settlers put up defensive houses like this among a hostile local population, and Tully’s design carries the Scottish-castle and Renaissance influences they brought with them. After 1641 the Humes never came back, and the shell has stood as a State Care historic monument ever since. Inside, a sturdy metal staircase now lets you climb to read the layout of the rooms.
What to see
Walk among the bawn walls and the shell of the fortified house; the earthworks trace the old defensive line, and the low sun off the lough makes the best photographs at either end of the day. On a clear day the view runs out across Lough Erne to its scatter of islands. A restored farmhouse holds the visitor centre and exhibition on the Hume family, the events of 1641 and the wider Plantation – but it isn’t always open, so don’t make the trip for the exhibition alone; check ahead. Children under 16 must be with an adult.
The site is part of the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark, and it’s dog-friendly, with plenty of grass and a clear walking route. A short circular walk of about a mile loops past the ruins and the farmhouse. If you’re arriving by water, there’s a jetty on the point, though with no water, power or bins.
Getting there and access
By car, follow the A46 Loughshore Road from Enniskillen; the site is signposted, with a car park by the visitor centre and a disabled space near the entrance, plus a larger area for coaches. Ulsterbus routes between Enniskillen and Belleek stop on the Loughshore Road within walking distance. The tarmac road and loughshore path are level enough for wheelchairs; the cobbled path up to the castle itself is bumpy and harder going.
Nearby attractions
- Castle Archdale Country Park – Lakeside trails, a wartime museum and water sports.
- Cliffs of Magho – A steep climb to a viewpoint over the Erne valley.
- Boa Island – The double-faced Janus figure, an early stone carving.
- Enniskillen Castle – The county museum, in the island town.
Half an hour, free, and the grounds stay open all year even when the centre doesn’t – come for the history and the lake, not for a full day.