Description
The centrepiece of Donegal Town is without a doubt O'Donnell's Castle better known as Donegal Castle by the banks of the river Eske. Writing about it as far back as 1566 Henry Sydney an English deputy wrote "it is the greatest I ever saw in an Irishman's hands: and would appear to be in good keeping; one of the fairest situated in good soil and so nigh a portable water a boat of ten tonnes could come within ten yards of it."
The castle was built by Hugh Roe O'Donnell in 1474 when he also built the Franciscan Order further down the river Eske.
It is said that Red Hugh aware of his imminent fate destroyed the castle before leaving. On capture the English were able to fortify such castles and use them as a base to attack the Irish. One Irish poet who lamented the destruction but admired the tactic "to prevent this fortress of the Gael becoming a fortress of the Gall". However this is what happened with the castle being granted to Captain Basil Brooke in 1611 who extended the manor house to the existing tower house.
It passed through several generations of Brookes before falling into decay in the 18th century and the owner the Earl of Arran placed the castle in the guardianship of the Office of Public Works in 1898.
It is only in recent times that the castle has been restored to its former glory. Writing about the castle's history the author John M. Feehan goes as far as to suggest that the whole history of Ireland for three hundred years was decided within the castle walls before Kinsale.
He recommends that we should " step up to them touch and say a silent prayer for the brave men who blundered so badly in those far-off days".