Doonagore Castle

Doonagore Castle
Doonagore Castle, overlooking Doolin and the Atlantic Ocean
Location within Ireland
General information
Location	Doolin, County Clare, Ireland
Coordinates	53°00′12″N 9°23′14″W / 53.00327°N 9.38713°W / 53.00327; -9.38713
Completed	16th century

Doonagore Castle is a round 16th-century tower house with a small walled enclosure located about 1 km above the coastal village of Doolin in County Clare, Ireland. Its name may be derived from Dún na Gabhair, meaning "the fort of the rounded hills" or the "fort of the goats". Doonagore Castle is at present a private holiday home, inaccessible to the public.

Doonagore Castle sits on a hill overlooking Doolin Point and, along with a nearby higher radio mast, is used as a navigational point by boats approaching Doolin Pier. It is located in the townland Doonagore, parish of Killilagh, County Clare. It is generally considered to be located in the area known as the Burren.

A castle was built on (or near) the site of an even earlier ringfort by Tadgh (Teigue) MacTurlough MacCon O'Connor some time during the 14th century.

The current structure likely dates from the mid-16th century. Unlike most tower houses in the region, this was built not from limestone but from sandstone drawn from the quarry of Trá Leachain (flaggy beach) about 2 km to the southwest.

In 1570, it was owned by Sir Donald (or Donnell) O'Brien of the O'Brien dynasty and in 1582 it was occupied by Brian MacCahill O'Connor. In 1583, much of the property in the area was surrendered to the Crown and regranted to Turlough O'Brien of Ennistymon. Doonagore soon fell to the MacClancy (or Clancy) family, the hereditary brehons or lawyers of the O'Briens.

In September 1588, a ship of the Spanish Armada was wrecked below the castle. One-hundred-seventy survivors were caught by the High Sheriff of Clare, Boetius Clancy, hanged at Doonagore Castle or on a nearby Iron Age barrow near Doolin called Cnocán an Crochaire.