What is recorded here

Dundonnell is a bawn in County Westmeath, Ireland. Its castle site stands inside a subrectangular enclosure marked by remaining banks, a fosse and a drain, while marshy ground surrounds much of the pasture. The uneven interior still holds faint wall footings and nearby ditches, suggesting a busy defended place rather than an abandoned oddity.

Situated in pasture which is surrounded by low-lying marshy ground to SE, S and W and which is overlooked by a low rise to N. Dundonnell Castle site (WM025-010----) stands in N quadrant of a subrectangular-shaped enclosure (approx. dims. 67m NW-SE x 62m NNE-SSW) defined by the remains of a substantial bank and fosse to NW, NE and SE and by a drain to SW. The interior is uneven with slight rises, low banks and the scant remains of some wall footings. The area to the N, E and SE is traversed by a series of banks and ditches which form a complex of enclosures adjoining the castle site. The remains of a possible medieval road (WM025-010002-) or sunken way is visible to NE. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 03 September 2019

Dundonnell Castle was built in the 17th century by the Macdonnell family, a prominent Gaelic clan in the region. The site is important as it represents the defensive and residential architecture of the early modern period in the Scottish Highlands.

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