Two Castles of East Donegal

Yesterday, we visited Grianan of Aileach. You can see most of Ulster from the top, and it's easy to imagine feeling like a Queen of all she surveys up there. The view hasn't changed, nor the constant and terrific wind. We ate a picnic from our favorite deli, The Counter in Letterkenny.  

Here's Pippen being sorry he didn't eat his breakfast. 



This mountain top is where the O'Neill Kings of Ulster once had their cashel, but some other Irish king destroyed it in the middle ages in retribution for the O'Neill's destroying his castle in Co. Clare. An enterprising Victorian had it rebuilt to look just like Staigue Fort in Kerry.  I wrote about Staigue Fort earlier. 



It's now one of the more prominent tourist attractions in east Donegal, and worth a visit on a fair day. 

You can't see it, but behind Pippin's head in that photo above is Burt Castle. We've driven past it on the highway between Letterkenny and Derry, but until today I know anything about it. 

The Irish Library reprints this description of Burt Castle as it was in 1862. Not much has changed. 

The ruins of Burt Castle are situated on an eminence distinguished as the Castlehill, on the southern shore of Lough Swilly. It was a quadrangular structure, with circular towers at its alternate angles, and was evidently a place of some strength, as there are many embrasures for cannon, and the walls are from four to five feet in thickness, while the merlons of blue purbeck stone are perforated for musketry. You enter, by a ruined archway, what was once the great hall—once, perhaps, the scene of feudal splendour, garnished with the trophies of warfare or the chase, and resounding with the revelry of wine and wassail. The vaulted ceiling, of this, and all other apartments immediately above it, have fallen in, rendering the chambers of the northern tower inaccessible, except by means of ladders. Turning to the left, you ascend by a spiral stone stair, at each window of which there is a circular room lighted by a few embrasures, and vaulted with stone, for no wood has ever been used in any part of the building. From the top the prospect is uncommonly grand and expansive, extending over a space of not less than fifty miles by thirty-seven. Within the circuit of five miles from its base, stood the ruins of several religious edifices, besides another castle at Rathmelton, one at Drumbuoy, and one at Castleforward; but the castles at Inch and Ailagh, with Burt Castle, were border fortresses of "The O'Doherty," the strength of which availed more than the justice of the tenure, in preserving their patrimonial territories to the chieftains of that noble house. Of these, Ailagh, situated within three miles of Derry, was by far the most ancient and important.

Curious Ireland has a quick article about its history, and links to videos. The first one is drone footage showing more of this Lough Swilly area of Donegal. It's very different from where we live. (You'll want to fast forward through the talking parts and just get to the fields and castle parts.) 

He flies the drone down inside the castle which is pretty cool. 

This next one is a 1970s home movie of Grainan of Aileach, Burt Castle, and Newtown-Cunningham, and three cute children.