The first plaque sits in the north wall of the southeast tower, whilst the second can be found in the south wall of the northeast tower. The third, bearing the Leslie Coat of Arms, adorns the eastern face of the northeast tower. These stone carvings serve as permanent reminders of the palace’s grand past, when noble families displayed their heraldry as symbols of status and authority.

There was once a fourth armorial plaque at the palace, recorded by the antiquarian Beaufort during his visit in 1787. This missing piece has likely found a new home; it’s probably the same plaque that now decorates the front garden of a house on William Street in Raphoe. How it made its journey from palace wall to suburban garden remains a mystery, though such relocations of historical artefacts were common during periods when ancient buildings fell into disrepair and their stonework was repurposed by locals.

These plaques form part of County Donegal’s rich archaeological heritage, documented in the comprehensive Archaeological Survey compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983. The survey catalogued field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic Period through to the 17th century, preserving crucial details about sites like Raphoe Palace that might otherwise be lost to time.