Enniskillen Castle

Enniskillen Castle

A castle among the lakes

In the town of Enniskillen, in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, a historic castle stands beside the water in a land of lakes. Fermanagh is a county of islands and waterways, where the great lakes of Lough Erne almost surround the town, and for centuries Enniskillen Castle guarded one of the key crossings between them. Its most famous feature, the picturesque Watergate with its twin turrets rising over the water, is one of the best-known sights in the region.

Stronghold of the Maguires

Enniskillen Castle was built around 1428 as the stronghold of the Maguires, the powerful Gaelic clan who ruled Fermanagh. Its position was perfectly chosen: in a land of lakes, whoever held this point controlled the movement of people and boats through the waterways, making the Maguires masters of their watery kingdom.

For more than a century the castle was the heart of Maguire power, and the clan's chiefs ruled the surrounding lands from its walls.

War and the Plantation

At the end of the 1500s and into the 1600s, Fermanagh was caught up in the great wars between the Gaelic lords and the English crown. The castle was besieged and captured, and after the defeat of the Gaelic lords it passed into the hands of English settlers during the Plantation of Ulster.

It was during this period that the castle gained its famous Watergate, with its twin turrets — built in the early 1600s and now the castle's best-loved feature. The new owners adapted the old Gaelic stronghold for the changed world of the Plantation.

A military history

For a long time Enniskillen Castle served as a barracks and military base. The town and castle gave their name to famous regiments — the Inniskilling regiments — whose soldiers fought in many wars over the centuries. Because of this long military use, the castle survived rather than crumbling into ruin, and parts of it now house museums telling the story of these regiments.

Museums and heritage

Today Enniskillen Castle is home to the Fermanagh County Museum and the regimental museums, which tell the story of the county, the Maguires, the Plantation and the famous regiments. Its keep, walls and the picturesque Watergate have been preserved and restored, making the castle a centre of heritage and learning for the whole region.

Visiting today

Visitors can explore the castle's keep and walls, admire the famous twin-turreted Watergate reflected in the water, and visit the museums that tell the story of Fermanagh and its people. The setting among the lakes of Lough Erne makes Enniskillen a beautiful and historic place to explore. Picturesque, historic and full of stories, Enniskillen Castle is one of the most charming castles in the north of Ireland.