Turbet Island is situated on the outskirts of Belturbet, just over the River Erne bridge. The castle was believed to be one of the site’s oldest major settlements.
A motte, a steep-sided earthen mound with a flat top, and a bailey, an adjoining enclosed area that would have held houses and other buildings, are both present on the site. The remains of a small subcircular stone structure may be seen from the motte’s summit.
It was one of seven fortifications built to defend a passage that would isolate the part of Ulster that remained under native Irish control.
Around 1233, the Anglo-Normans abandoned Turbet Island’s motte and bailey. The O’Reillys took control and are believed to have constructed a stone castle on the site. The site is reached by a footbridge adjacent to the main bridge across the River Erne.
Belturbet’s Motte and Bailey is an important element of the town’s and, indeed, the region’s social, economic, and historical history. The Marble Arch Geopark has recognised the area as an official site.
