Richard de Burgo, the Red Earl of Ulster, built the remains of this Anglo Norman castle in AD 1300 and it was the strongest fortress in Connacht. The most prominent feature of this impressive fortification is the large gate building, a rectangular structure with projection 1/2 round towers at each side of the entrance.

Ballymote is almost square in plan with a 3/4 round tower at each angle and a D-shaped tower mid way along the east and west curtains. In the south wall there is a small gateway, which may have been used as a sallyport. The double faced walls of the gate towers were built as a defence against undermining the wall.