Ballynahinch, County Galway Ballynahinch, County Galway Ballynahinch or Ballinahinch () is situated close to Recess in County Galway in the west of Ireland, on the road from Recess to Roundstone. It also lies on the route of the former railway line from Galway city to Clifden (the "Capital of Connemara"). The name comes from the Irish "Baile na hInse" meaning "settlement of the island". Ballynahinch Castle, built in the 17th century for the Martyn family, one of whose better-known members was 'Humanity Dick' founder of the RSPCA, has been used as a hotel since 1946. The Castle was originally built in about 1684
Siege of Galway Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde, who was nominally the supreme commander of the Irish Catholic forces, tried to assemble an army at Jamestown County Leitrim to relieve Galway, but few of the demoralised Irish force around the country responded to his order. In March, a conference of Irish officers in Galway, including Clanricarde, decided to begin negotiations for terms of surrender. Thomas Preston, the military governor of Galway, eventually agreed to surrender the city on 12 May 1652. His position had become impossible due to food shortages and an outbreak of bubonic plague in Galway. Coote agreed to let Preston