Built between 1867 and 1873 by land speculator Captain John George Adair — notorious for the brutal Derryveagh Evictions of 1861 — and designed by John Townsend Trench in the style of an early Irish tower house. Later owned by Philadelphia art collector Henry Plumer McIlhenny, who bequeathed the castle and its renowned gardens to the Irish state in the 1970s; it now sits at the heart of Glenveagh National Park.
Visiting Glenveagh Castle
Yes, National Parks and Wildlife Service managed, guided tours and gardens open daily
Where to stay nearby
The closest castle hotel is Lough Eske Castle, 40.61 km away in Donegal Town — Castle site dating to 1474 associated with the O'Donnell clan; the standing building was rebuilt in 1861 after earlier structures were destroyed, then gutted by fire in 1939 before a full restoration reopened it as a hotel in 2007.
Lough Eske Castle
Donegal Town, Co. Donegal · 5-star / luxury
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