Castle Donovan

Castle Donovan, also spelled as Castledonovan, lies on a rock on the east bank of the River Ilen in the townland of the same name, in County Cork in Ireland.

Castle Donovan is said to have been built, possibly on the site of an earlier fortification, by Donal 'of the Hides' O'Donovan, Lord of Clancahill, about 1560 in order to guard the northern border of the sept’s lands. At that time it was called Sowagh Castle. Donal died in 1584 and was followed by his son, also called Donal. The son; Donal II, surrendered it to the English government in 1592. It was regranted to him in 1612. He repaired or further altered the castle in the 1620s but was not living there anymore at that time.

According to tradition the castle attacked with cannons by Oliver Cromwell's soldiers in 1649 in retaliation for Donal III O'Donovan siding with the Stuarts and participating in the Rebellion of 1641. This left the castle severely damaged and it was abandoned.

In 1654 the remains of the castle and its surrounding lands were confiscated again and granted to Nathaniel Evanson, a lieutenant in the Cromwellian army. The castle, however, was never rebuilt.

The damage caused by the 17th century attack had made the ruin unstable and in 1936 the southwest corner of the castle collapsed.

Castle Donovan can freely be visited. Besides a small hallway, the tower can not be entered. A very nice castle ruin on a nice location.

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