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Ballinafad Castle was built to control the Curlews Pass through the Curlew Mountains. The pass is part of the Red Earl's Road which runs from Ballymote Castle to Boyle. The castle is believed to have been built by Captain St. Barbe in 1590. Red Earl's Road was built by Richard de Burgo, the Red Earl of Ulster, circa 1300. built during the Nine Years War (1592-1601) and was garrisoned by ten men and commanded by Captain John St Barbe. Red Hugh O'Donnell partially destroyed it in 1595. Sir Richard Bingham
Captain St Barbe returned and stayed there until his death in 1628 and was succeeded by Henry Fletcher In the early 17th century the castle was garrisoned by a constable and ten warders. In 1642 it was attacked by the insurgent Irish and its defenders were forced to surrender due to lack of water.
It resisted assaults by the Burkes and other Irish during the 1641 rebellion but was once again sacked by 1642. Following the surrender of the Irish in 1652 it came under control of William Taafe and was garrisoned by English forces to protect land settlements following the restoration of Charles II and fell out of use by 1680.
It comprises an oblong block of three storeys over a raised basement with stout towers at the corners. There were square rooms in all the towers save the north, where there was a circular timber stair. The door at first-floor level was secured with a drawbar and had an internal grille or gate.
The design is modelled on a 13th century plan and is four stories high with a 10.6m by 8m rectangular block with four 6m diameter corner towers. The western tower contained a spiral wooden stairs and all the floors were of timber. The entrance doorway on the first floor in the northwest wall is almost entirely rebuilt but a drawbar socket survives. Numerous openings of gun loops are present throughout the castle and each tower has a small box machicolation used to throw stones or other missiles on the enemies to ward them off. Tall chimney stacks survive on top of the east and north towers.
The Annals of the Four Masters record that "a great fortress..." was built between Lough Key and Arrow, and the Governor of Connaught Bingham reported in 1590 that he had erected a strong fort in the "Straits of the Curlews".
Ballinafad Castle must be that fort. It is situated strategically adjacent to the ancient military route, the Red Earl's Road. The castle was held by the English, under constables Captain St. Barbe followed by Henry Fletcher, until captured by the Irish in 1642. After the Cromwellian victory the castle was in the hands of Sir William Taaffe.