The castle
Site of an O'Flaherty castle built c.1546 on an island, once the stronghold of pirate queen Grace O'Malley's husband; the present castle was built in 1756 by the Martin family, later home of 'Humanity Dick' Martin.
Why stay here
A wild-Atlantic-set castle hotel with 450 acres and famous salmon fisheries, opened to the public after the Irish Tourism Board bought the estate in 1949.