AttractionEasy45 minutes to 1 hour
Donegal Castle
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About
Donegal Castle stands at the water's edge in the heart of the town, built by the O'Donnell clan as their stronghold around 1474 and remodelled with a Jacobean manor house by Sir Basil Brooke after he took over the site in 1616. The Office of Public Works restored the castle in the 1990s, and it now opens to visitors with a spiral stairwell, a wooden-roofed great hall, bay windows and information panels covering its full history from the O'Donnell lordship through to Brooke's plantation-era additions. It is the single most visited attraction in the town and the obvious first stop for understanding why Donegal Town looks the way it does.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A restored 15th-century tower house built by the O'Donnell clan
- ✓A Jacobean manor house and ornate chimney-piece added by Sir Basil Brooke
- ✓OPW-guided exhibitions and information panels on the castle's full history
- ✓Right in the town centre, a short walk from the Diamond
Tips
- →Check current OPW opening hours and admission prices before visiting.
- →Limited accessibility inside the castle; assistance dogs only, per the OPW listing.
- →Combine with a walk around the Diamond, a five-minute walk away.
Best Season
SpringSummerAutumnWinter
