When is Donegal Castle open?

Donegal Castle is open: Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:15 PM Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor . If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.

Do you need to book in advance to visit Donegal Castle?

We recommend booking Donegal Castle tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 Donegal Castle tours on Tripadvisor

What hotels are near Donegal Castle?

Hotels near Donegal Castle: (0.01 mi) The Suite on The Diamond in Donegal Town Elegant , Quirky and Very Comfortable. (0.08 mi) Central Hotel (0.10 mi) Diamond Lodgings (0.08 mi) The Abbey Hotel (0.05 mi) Riverside House B&B View all hotels near Donegal Castle on Tripadvisor

What restaurants are near Donegal Castle?

Restaurants near Donegal Castle: (0.01 mi) Pretty Baked Bakery (0.01 mi) The Napoli Express (0.03 mi) Olde Castle Bar (0.08 mi) Market House Restaurant (0.04 mi) The Blueberry Tea Room View all restaurants near Donegal Castle on Tripadvisor

Donegal Castle - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

1,210 reviews

#2 of 22 things to do in Donegal Town

Castles

Top ways to experience Donegal Castle and nearby attractions

The area

Best nearby

Restaurants

41 within 3 miles

Quay West Restaurant Donegal Town

487

0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Irish • Seafood • European

Market House Restaurant

511

422 ft$$ - $$$ • Irish • International • Healthy

The Blueberry Tea Room

882

210 ft$$ - $$$ • Dessert • Irish • Cafe

The Harbour Restaurant & Bar

412

0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Steakhouse • Irish • Pizza

Chandpur Indian Restaurant

1,371

0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Indian • Asian • Balti

Furey’s Diner

366

0.1 mi$ • Irish • Cafe • European

Blas

254

0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Irish • European • Vegetarian Friendly

La Bella Donna

456

226 ft$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Mediterranean

Olde Castle Bar

1,827

170 ft$$ - $$$ • Irish • Bar • Seafood

Doms Pier 1

555

0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Irish • Bar • European

See all

Attractions

8 within 6 miles

Church of Ireland

11

181 ftChurches & Cathedrals

Donegal Railway Heritage Centre

80

0.2 miSpeciality Museums

Famine Graveyard

9

0.5 miHistoric Sites • Cemeteries

Lough Eske

310

Points of Interest & Landmarks

Points of Interest & Landmarks

See what other travelers are saying

Nick
Nottingham, United Kingdom227 contributions
Local, easy to get to and definitely worth the visit.
A castle, right in the middle of Donegal Town. Why wouldn't you go if you're in Donegal. €5 entry. Parking in one of the many car parks around the town at 30cents an hour. The castle is well maintained, neat and looked after. Its a very pleasant one to look around. It probably takes only 30 minutes to look around. The restored roof in the upper room of the keep is of particular interest. There's information boards and also models from different periods of the castles existence, which show you how it looked at those times. Would definitely recommend you visit if you're staying in Donegal. There a toilets within the grounds.
Visited April 2023
Traveled as a couple
Written April 2, 2023
TheMarshal84
Liverpool, United Kingdom433 contributions
Long time, worth the wait
Last visited 25 years ago, when the site was having major conservation work carried out, as well as having a new roof installed. It's nice to see the site restored, and open. Spent many summers in sight of the castle, which looms over the town and it did not disappoint. The information boards were clear, outlining the site history within Ulster and the site was overall not overly restored. The grounds are well cared for and looked after by OPW. Adult admission is €5.00, but entry is free if you have an English heratige/Cadw/Historic Environment Scotland membership. The gift shop could have been a bit bigger and better stocked. There is no coffee shop on site, but food outlets are a short walk from the site. Allow 60-90 mins the take in the site. Truly worth a visit.
Visited May 2023
Traveled solo
Written July 14, 2023
njcavalier
Chatham, New Jersey388 contributions
Wonderful castle in Donegal!
Donegal Castle is well worth a visit. The older part of the castle, which dates to 1474, has been beautifully curated. A knowledgeable guide led us through the castle, telling its history from the days of the O’Donnell chieftains through the English takeover of the house in the early 17th century. Among the delights in the 15th century tower are the magnificent Banqueting Hall and, on the top floor, a museum filled with interesting exhibits on the castle’s history. There is also a “new” wing of the castle, built in the early 1600s by Basil Brooke, the Jacobean who took over the house and lands after the English defeated the Irish in the Battle of Kinsale in Southern Ireland. Interestingly, the “new” wing is a gutted shell, but still worth seeing and exploring. I highly recommend a visit!
Visited August 2022
Written August 14, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

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4.0

1,210 reviews

Excellent

490

Very good

507

Average

183

Poor

20

Terrible

10

mary j

County Dublin, Ireland20 contributions

A jewel in the town of Donegal

Jan 2022 • Friends

Due to covid restrictions we were left to see this castle on our own. We were given an information sheet. It's a small castle but beautifully kept and had a very interesting past. We really enjoyed wandering around reading all the information posted around the artifacts on view. We would highly recommend a visit.

Written January 15, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David D

1,189 contributions

A nicely restored small castle

Apr 2022

Originally a castle of the O’Donnell family, this small, but well-fortified castle, was taken over by an English lord after the Flight of the Earls and was transformed into a more stately home. The castle itself has been restored and for a small fee you can enter and do a nice self-guided tour. It’s not the biggest castle in Ireland, but it is a pleasant place and worth a visit.

Written May 2, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sharon N

14 contributions

Lovely, small castle.

Jul 2023 • Family

Lovely, small castle. Architecture was stunning, with plenty of noticeboards with more information about specific parts. I found the window frames particularly interesting as most of our Scottish castles were built before glass was used so clearly the O'Donnell's/ Brookes were ahead of their time! Toilets were perfectly clean and it's well worth a visit.

Written July 28, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marvin G

Ogdensburg, NY1,101 contributions

This is a classic example of an old Norman Castle and is well worth the visit.

Jul 2022

Hugh O’Donnell built a castle on the banks of the Eske River in the 1400’s. After the battle of Kinsdale, he set the castle on fire hoping to destroy it completely. This did not happen and Lord Basil Brooke took it over in 1616 and built a manor house next to the old tower. The fireplace and chimney was decorated with the family coat of arms and various fruits. The complex is now part of the Irish Heritage collection and has been partially restored in the 1990’s.

While the building and grounds are beautiful, there is an even greater story to tell. The potato famine was a terrible tragedy for the Irish people as was the "Long March" or "March of Tears" for the American Indians of the S.E. United States. The Choctaw Indians who were forcibly moved to reservations in Oklahoma, raised funds to send food to starving Irish peasants. In memory of this deed a sculpture of eagle feathers is sited on the grounds of Donegal Castle. There is an oil painting in the dining/living area of the castle noting this connection as well.

Written August 1, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MrsWYN-R

North Yorkshire, UK2,985 contributions

An Interesting Visit

Jun 2023 • Couples

Donegal a quaint county town. Had a couple of hours to spare on a day tour, plenty of cafes and tearooms and some nice shops was not expecting a castle! Part restored in the 90s, an interesting hour. Paid to get in and with an information sheet wandered around the inside without a guide, learnt about some Irish history. No tearoom or shop as such and not vast, will not take long yet worth a look. An interesting visit.

Written July 3, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christa G

13 contributions

Love this castle

Oct 2022 • Family

This was my favorite castle I visited. For a small town castle, it was great. You take it at your own pace, it was not crowded, and we learned a lot. I loved that the castle was finished inside so you could get a glimpse of what life was like there. In other words, it was not just a ruin. Thank you for keeping up Donegal castle. I have fond memories, and recommend it for anyone. We had a three year old with us and he loved it.

Written October 22, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

victoria B

Lincolnshire, UK567 contributions

The fire surround in the keep is stunning and the ruined English style manor house fascinating

Jun 2022

Situated in a picturesque spot near the river, right in the centre of Donegal.
The ruins of an English style manor house are within the walls and the interior of the keep is displayed as it may have looked in the early seventeenth century.

The keep contains a wonderfully elaborate fire surround put in by Sir Basil Brooke who was sent by Elizabeth 1 to help oversee the planation of Ulster. It was Sir Basil who rebuilt the castle to incorporate an English style manor house.

Written August 30, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robin K

Shepparton, Australia324 contributions

Worth a look

Jul 2023 • Couples

It’s not expensive to enter and we thought it worthwhile .
The staff were friendly and helpful and the building well presented and clean .
There was a lot of information available about its history and it is amazing how the original owners were able to build such a building .
Worth a look

Written July 9, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ana M

1 contribution

Historical landmark of Irish history

Aug 2022

Lovely way to spend a morning! Visited the castle last week - steeped in history and beautiful grounds. Option for a tour or self-guided. Our tour guide John was friendly and informative and answered any questions we had. The history of the place is fascinating - an important landmark in the history of Ireland. Would definitely recommend! Lovely coffee shop nearby too.

Written September 8, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kerryman86

Kilflynn, Ireland235 contributions

Great castle

Jan 2020 • Couples

Self guided tour of the castle. Really cheap and great value for money. Upon reception you will receive a pamphlet instructing you of the history and heritage of the castle. Great surroundings. As a keen historical enthusiast I really enjoyed coming here. I would definitely come back.

Written January 21, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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