Dungauire Castle is a 16th century castle near Kinvarra, Co. Galway. The main tower is 75 foot tall and is surrounded by a thick defensive wall.
Dunguaire Castle (‘Doongorey’) was built in 1520 by the Hynes Clan a prominent local family since 662. Their relationship with the site itself goes back to 662 AD when Guaire, King of Connaught, was an early ancestor, ruled the kingdom from a earthen rath close to the present castle. The strong wall or bawn was constructed around 1642 by Thomas Taylor. In the 17th century the castle was passed onto the Martyn clan of Galway who remained in the stonghold until 1924.
Oliver St. John Gogarty, a well known surgeon and writer bought the castle in 1924, restored and made it a meeting place for some of Ireland’s literary greats such as George Bernard Shaw, Lady Gregory, J.M Synge and W.B. Yeats.
Lady Amptill acquired the castle in 1954 and completed its restoration. It’s now owned by Shannon Development and is open to the public.
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