Built in the heart of Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal, lies Glenveagh Castle. Built between 1870 and 1873, it is in typical Scottish style. Nowadays, the building is open to the public: it’s well worth a visit!
The castle was built by Captain John Adair George (1823-1885), a wealthy American landowner who decided to live in Ireland. Married in 1869 to Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie, Adair bought a gigantic plot of land and, with his wife, drew up plans for the castle and its gardens, aiming to make the building even more beautiful than Queen Victoria’s Balmoral castle.
The Great Famine nevertheless prompted Adair to expel 224 Irish people from his lands. This decision was motivated by the desire for a wilder, more aesthetically pleasing terrain… This episode is infamously known as the “Derryveagh Expulsions”, and has helped to paint a terrible picture of Adair, portraying him as a cruel, unyielding man.
Glenveagh Castle comprises a four-storey rectangular keep, surrounded by a wooded garden and the 165-hectare Glenveagh Park, dotted with mountains, lakes and valleys. The latter was built right next to a magnificent lake, offering exceptional views of the mountains and wild landscapes of Glenveagh National Park.
The castle is accessible from a small bus that runs regular shuttles for €2 per person. You can then visit the main rooms of the château, and discover the history of the owner.
Afterwards, you’ll have the chance to visit its tree-lined gardens and colorful flowerbeds.
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