Raphoe Castle, Raphoe Parish, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Courtesy of Donegal Has It All

Submitted by
Jim McKane, Ontario, Canada
jamckane[at]gmail.com

Raphoe Castle, also known as the Bishop's Palace is a ruined early 17th-century castle on the edge of Raphoe, County Donegal, Ireland. The castle was built from stone from a ruined round tower.

In 1633, John Leslie was translated from the Scottish See of the Isles to become the Bishop of Raphoe. Marrying at the age of 67, absorbing the Bishopric of Clogher at the age of 90, Leslie dominated the area until his death, aged 100, in 1671. Feeling threatened in his new location, he built himself a new palace on a hill overlooking the town using stone from an ancient Round Tower in 1637. This proved fortuitous when rebellion broke out in 1641 and the Bishop was forced to shelter in the “castle”, as it has come to be known, until relieved by the Lagganeer army.

Eight years later, Leslie, a Royalist was besieged by Cromwellian troops. This time, he was forced to surrender but unlike virtually every other bishop in Ireland, Leslie survived and was returned to his See at the Restoration in 1660. A leading figure in the Established Church, Bishop Leslie was no friend of either Catholic or Non-conformist. In 1664, he ordered four dissenting Presbyterian ministers to appear before his court, and when they failed to appear, had them arrested and imprisoned in Lifford gaol. A century later, in 1798, the castle was attacked again,this time by the United Irishmen, three of whom were killed. The castle was destroyed in an accidental fire in 1838.

It was damaged by supporters of King James II & VII in 1689 during the Williamite War. A century later, in 1798, the castle was attacked again, this time by the United Irishmen, three of whom were killed during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The castle was destroyed in an accidental fire in 1838.

 

Further reading Monreagh Heritage Centre