Castle Dargan

Map Reference: G725280 (1725, 3280)



This castle sits on the edge of a cliff overlooking Lough Dargan. It was built in 1422 by Conor McDonagh. Only two fragments remain, 25m apart. The eastern fragment consists of a SE corner surviving to two storeys. At ground floor level there is a fragment of a doorway which led to a mural stairs. These are lit be a series of slit windows and rise initially to the SE corner. They then continue through the east wall to another doorway which gave access to a first-floor chamber. There was a wicker-centred vault over the ground-floor chamber but only fragments remain.



The western section of the castle also survives to two storeys. Only a N-S length of wall survives. There are indications that this portion of the castle was also vaulted over the ground floor. It seems likely that this section of the castle was part of the bawn wall and the other section belonged to the main tower.