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.

References:

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User Reviews

Beverly (Beverly) (5 months ago)
I stopped in Donegal for lunch and visited Donegal Castle. The castle is definitely undergoing restoration. I took a guided tour with an OPW tour guide and she was absolutely amazing and she is the reason for the higher score. She explained the nine years war in such a dramatic fashion that I could have listened to her all day. I was literally on the edge of my seat. There are only a few rooms. There are some original parts like floors and ceilings left. You get a good idea of why the castle was designed its way. My favorite area was the fireplace, and again, the tour guide did an amazing job. I would definitely recommend stopping here and taking a guided tour.

Άννα Χ (7 months ago)
Loved the Donegal Castle. It was actually the first castle that we receive information in Greek, which we appreciated greatly. Small but well preserved. Christina our guide she was very knowledgeable. Totally recommend to visit

Debragh Kelly (8 months ago)
Very well kept, lovely place to visit, kids are given treasure hunt page! Which they loved finding the items, lots of history and information. Super friendly staff. Highly recommended ??

Donatella Malta (8 months ago)
A small monument with a significant history. I really appreciated how well-maintained it is and the fact that at the front desk, they provided us with pamphlets detailing the history of the place, so we had a guide while walking within the castle walls. Inside, there's an exhibition with models that show how the castle has changed and evolved over time.

johan jansen van rensburg (9 months ago)
If your surname is O Donnell then this might be your roots!!Guided tours or you can stroll along with guided laminated tour guide.Most beautiful fireplace and well kept interior.Steep steps thus come with good knees and hips.Friendly staff and toilets clean????

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