Donegal Castle

Donegal, Ireland

Donegal Castle was the stronghold of the O'Donnell clan, Lords of Tír Conaill and one of the most powerful Gaelic families in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th centuries. For most of the last two centuries, the majority of the buildings lay in ruins but the castle was almost fully restored in the early 1990s. It is now open to the public.

The castle consists of a 15th-century rectangular keep with a later Jacobean style wing. There is a small gatehouse at its entrance mirroring the design of the keep. The complex is sited on a bend in the River Eske, near the mouth of Donegal Bay, and is surrounded by a 17th-century boundary wall. Most of the stonework was constructed from locally sourced limestone with some sandstone.

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Founded: 15th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Ireland

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4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jade Kavanagh (4 months ago)
Very interesting to visit and learn the history, although I did think the castle would be bigger to walk around considering it cost €10 for 2 people we were only about 15 minutes looking around, definitely nice to stop by if your visiting but I’ve been to better castles around Ireland in the south
Lorraine Ryder (7 months ago)
Visitors are welcomed and given a laminated sheet giving historical information on the castle . These are in various languages. You can then wander around the castle at leisure . Good value for 5 euros
The Irish Chef Abroad (8 months ago)
Built by Red Hugh I Donnell in the fifteenth century, this castle towers over the river Eske. Originally built as a castle fortress, O Donnell himself, ever the rebel burned it in an effort to keep it out of British hands. The castle has been heavily renovated and demonstrates how life was back in the fifteenth century. There are events here regularly and there was pottery demonstrations at time of visit.
Eileen Bonnar (9 months ago)
Have been holidaying in County Donegal for years but first time doing the castle tour. Would recommend taking the guided tour as opposed to walking around yourself as the guide made it very interesting and went into a lot of detail about the castle. The castle itself is not very big but has an interesting history and some fabulous features such as the grand fireplace upstairs and a picture painted by a Cherokee to mark the aid given by this tribe to Ireland during the Great Hunger and how Irish people returned the favour during Covid. The tour guide definitely brought the history of the castle to life with stories and tales. The guided tours happen often during the summer, so you don't have to wait long for one. The castle is situated at the edge of Donegal town, so cafes for refreshments are only a short walk away.
Natalie Nielsen (10 months ago)
Such a worthwhile tour. Our guide was informative, humorous, and truly gave an entertaining presentation. Learning about how the castle has been reshaped through time was quite interesting. Highly recommend.
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