episodes is seen by the defensive forts of Doon Castle in the townland of Dooncastle and MacPhilbin's castle in Aille (ruins of both are still standing), which were controlled by the MacPhilbin (also rendered as McPhilipin) clan, a scion of the powerful Bourke family, descending from Philip, brother of William Liath de Burgh (Bourke). The Bourkes initially battled fiercely with the Kingdom of Ireland forces. The revered Grace O'Malley of the powerful O'Malley (surname) dynasty that ruled Umhaill married into the Bourke family, with her second marriage, to Risdeárd an Iarainn Bourke. In later centuries the Bourke family became part of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy, among their descendants were the Brownes of Westport House, holding the titles of Earl of Altamount and Marquess of Sligo. In the 15th and 16th centuries Umhaill and Aughagower saw intense internecine struggles between warring clans and the Tudor Kingdom of Ireland, led by Sir Richard Bingham who sought to establish control of the area, forcing local clans such as the Bourke clan to submit their titles and claims of land to the monarchy, and swear allegiance to the crown, after which their lands would be re-granted to them for their loyalty, under the policy of surrender and regrant. Late modern and contemporary A great part of the population of the parish of Aughagower was lost in the Great Famine, and traces of ruins of deserted houses exist in several parts of the parish. The Carrowkennedy ambush took place in Carrowkennedy, in the south of Aughagower parish. One of the few encounters of the Irish War of Independence to take place in Connacht, the Carrowkennedy ambush was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 2 June 1921, during the Irish War of Independence. An IRA flying column, commanded by Michael Kilroy, ambushed a mobile patrol of the Royal Irish Constabulary Special Reserves (Black and Tans) at Carrowkennedy, near Westport, County Mayo. It resulted in the deaths of eight of the RIC, including some who were killed by their own rifle grenade. After two hours the RIC surrendered and their weaponry and ammunition were seized by the IRA. The RIC prisoners were not executed, but released upon their surrender, and this led many members of the successful ambush to seek refuge in the network of safe-houses throughout the counties of Mayo and Galway. Round tower and Abbey The ruins of a medieval church adjoins the