On to Donegal

After leaving our B&B in Westport this morning we made a couple of stops in County Sligo and County Leitrim.  First at a Megalithic cemetery at Carrowmore, which we walked through in pouring rain.  This was the first real rainfall that we've had to deal with.  We had our umbrellas and raincoats, but we were still getting pretty soaked by the time we decided that we'd seen enough.  The rain had stopped when we reached our second stop, Parke's Castle.  Parke's Castle was originally a tower castle, built in the 15th century, but when the English took over the land of the Irish in the 17th century under Queen Elizabeth I, it became a fortified manor house. 

When we arrived in Donegal we toured Donegal Castle, another example of a 15th century tower castle, this one with a 17th century Jacobean manor house added on.  Even 400 years ago you couldn't acquire (notice I didn't say buy, as this change of occupancy was also the result of the English takeover) a house without "updating."  Our tour guide was a Filipino woman married to an Irishman.  I don't think she's been warm since she moved to Ireland.

We found another cozy pub for dinner.  It's hard to stay on an Atkins's diet in these Irish pubs, but Tom is trying his best.  I, on the other hand, am enjoying shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, (almost everything with mash), Irish stew, Guinness etc.

It was raining like crazy when we made our first stop at the megalith burial site.

There are over 60 of these here.  They date from 4,200 BC to 2,500 BC.  Most contain the cremated remains of 100 or so individuals.

The oldest footing date to 520 or so and were thought to be the remains of a local chieftain's fort.  Sir Brian O'Rouke erected the first structure here in the 1500's but after his execution for treason in 1591 it sat empty until a British captain (Parke) was awarded it together with 1,000 acres of land in 1620.

The fort sits on the edge of a beautiful lake.

We also stopped along the ocean at a resort.  Amazing - it is about 63 degrees out, rainy, the water is cold, and the beach is full!!!

Donegal castle was our last stop

This was built in 1474 by Hugh O'Donnell.  The O'Donnell's ruled here until in 1595 the last lord had to flee to France to avoid being captured (and hung) by the British.  He burned it as he left.  In 1614 Sir Basil Brook was awarded the grounds and several thousand acres by the crown.  He rebuilt the fort.