A 15th-century rectangular keep built around 1474 by Red Hugh O'Donnell I, chieftain of the powerful O'Donnell clan, on the banks of the River Eske in the heart of Donegal town. A Jacobean-style wing was added in the early 17th century by English planter Sir Basil Brooke; the castle lay largely in ruin for two centuries before being almost fully restored in the early 1990s.
Visiting Donegal Castle
Yes, OPW/Heritage Ireland managed, daily tours
Where to stay nearby
The closest castle hotel is Lough Eske Castle, 3.87 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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