Location: Roscommon County
Constructed: 1154
Tel. +353 (0)90 6662222
Medieval Donamon Castle is located in Roscommon County of
Ireland. Donamon Castle was constructed in 1154. There was a
fortress here since the earliest period; for the first time "Dún
Iomáin" was mentioned in the annals of the four Masters in 1154.
Donamon was the seat of clan boss Ó Fionnachta of Clann
Chonnmhaigh, one of the two main branches of this family from
Connacht. In 1232, as part of the Norman Conquest, Adam de
Staunton continued to secure the site, but the new fortress was
destroyed by the local O'connors in the following year. The
rebuilt castle was inhabited by De Oddingseles in 1294. He died
in the following year. The De Berminghams took over the
property, but it was destroyed in 1303, once again, of the
O'connors. In 1307, they were displaced by the Burkes, whose
chief MacDavid was called. The MacDavid Burkes inhabited the
building for the next 300 years.
In the wars of conquest and expropriation of the 17th century, a
branch of the Caulfield family came into possession of the
castle and the surrounding land. They remained in the possession
of the property throughout Protestant supremacy.
At the end of 1932, an IRA unit under the command of Seán McCool
and Mick Price Donamon Castle took over to build a training camp
for their organization.
In 1939 the divine word missionaries came to Ireland and bought
the castle from the Irish Land Commission. The Steyler Mission
had several new buildings built to create a Campus where people
were trained before they were sent to the world. The castle
itself is still the centre of the Steyler Mission in Ireland
today. The training campus is now occupied by the Irish
Wheelchair Association's national holiday centre.
Donamon Castle in 1786