#119 Donegal Castle
County Donegal, Ireland
15th century and 1620's
This is NOT an official Lego site

Donegal Castle began by the O'Donnell family, lords of Tyrconnel, as a great tower castle in the late 15th century. The tower, built on a bend in the River Eske, was 35 x 55 feet in size, with walls eight feet thick. Hugh Roe O'Donnell was forced to set fire to his tower to keep it out of English hands about 1600, when capture by Mountjoy, the Earl of Essex' successor, seemed imminent. O'Donnell left to fight in Kinsale and was later exiled and died in Spain. English Captain Basil Brooke came to Ireland in 1598. He fought valiently in Munster and in the conquest of Ulster. For his service he was appointed servitor of Ulster Plantation, and in 1616 was knighted by James I. In 1623 Sir Basil was granted the borough of Donegal including the strong turreted tower that had been the castle of the O'Donnell chiefs.
Brooke repaired the tower, replacing the original slit windows with three- and four-mullioned windows to match those of the new three-story gabled manor house which he erected next to the tower. The tower roof was gabled and a huge bay window replaced the original entrance to the tower. Both Sir Basil and his son Sir Henry served as Governors of County Donegal. Henry sided with the Parliamentarians during the Civil War, losing Donegal Castle to Clanrickarde in a surprise attack. Sir Henry recaptured his castle just three days later, and his son Basil successfully defended the castle against the Jacobite forces under Sarsfield. Donegal Castle is now a National Monument.



Restoration Drawing Plans of the Castle Plans of the Castle

 

Photos of the Lego Model
Built January 2008
South View West View North View East View
Southwest View
The toughest part of this model
was the bay window which
replaced the original entrance.
The extensive gables at Donegal

Vendors at the gate

 

Build Your Own
Lego Plan
Southeast Elevation
Southwest Elevation
Northwest Elevation
Northeast Elevation


Other Donegal Castle pages (not as good as I expected):
http://www.travelsinireland.com/castle/donegal.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donegal_Castle

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Castles created by Robert Carney
Page designed & maintained by
Robert Carney