Once the stronghold of the O’Donovan Clan

Castle Donovan was built by Donal O’Donovan in 1560 and became their principal seat. It stands 60 feet high and sits on a large rock close to the bank of the River Ilen. In 1641, the castle was blown up by Cromwell’s army after the O’Donovans were accused of being involved in the rebellion of 1641. The explosions left a gouge in the southwest corner and over the next 200 years, huge cracks appeared in the masonry leaving the entire structure unsafe. The surrounding bawn and outbuildings are now gone but the spiral staircase in the tower is still intact. The castle underwent conservation by the OPW between 2001 and 2014 and is now listed as a national monument.