Whilst the tower house itself stands as a testament to medieval defensive architecture, this secondary structure suggests the location once supported a more complex settlement. Archaeological surveys conducted by Lacy in 1983 first documented these remains, noting their probable association with the main castle structure. The ruins, though now reduced...
House – early medieval, Rinnaraw, Co. Donegal
When archaeologists first documented this site in the early 1980s, it appeared as little more than an oval grass-covered stone foundation, measuring about six metres by five metres with walls barely half a metre high. However, extensive excavations conducted between 1987 and 1992 by Professor Tom Fanning from NUI Galway...
House – 16th/17th century, Machaire Loiscthe, Co. Donegal
Rosepenna House, built around 1694 by Lord Boyne (Gustavus Hamilton), was originally an impressive H-plan residence with flanking towers crowned by conical roofs, formal terraced gardens, and marble piers that led visitors through embattled courts from the shoreline. The estate, situated in the townland of Magherilosky alias Rosapenna, represented the...
House – 18th/19th century, Tullyarvan, Co. Donegal
Originally a tower house inhabited by Connor McGarrett O'Doherty in 1601, the castle underwent repairs by Hugh Boy O'Doherty the following year. However, its fortunes took a dramatic turn during Sir Cahir O'Doherty's revolt in 1608, when English forces burnt the structure to the ground. The castle's strategic importance ensured...
House – 16th/17th century, Grange, Burt, Co. Donegal
The castle first appears in historical records in 1587, when the lands were granted to Sir John O'Doherty, marking the beginning of its documented life as a significant stronghold. By 1601, it had evolved into an impressive fortification, complete with thick ramparts, two casemates, and five pieces of artillery. The...