Overview
Be clear about what you’re coming to see: there is very little left of Doon Castle. What remains is the grassy footprint of a Norman keep on a 150-foot hill in the townland of Dooncastle, in the parish of Aughagower about four miles from Westport. The reward is the position rather than the stones. From the oval summit – roughly 40 to 60 yards by 20 – the ground falls away to a long view north-east towards Islandeady and Aille, where the McPhilpin family held other castles. A short, unpaved path climbs from a lay-by on the road; ten minutes up and ten back is about right.
History
The hill carried an earlier Gaelic fort, Dún Mughdhord, which gives the place its name (Caisleán an Dúin tautologically means ‘fort castle’). In 1133 Cormac MacCarthy and Conor O’Brien invaded Connacht and destroyed it, along with Dunmore. A Norman castle was later built on the same site.
The MacPhilbin family held Doon along with Ayle, Aghle, Bellabourke and other castles in the area. By the time anyone wrote it down the place was already a ruin, and the reason is itself part of the story: according to local accounts, Lord Sligo carted off its stones to help build Westport House. What you trace on the ground today – the rectangular keep, about 40 by 27 feet, with short stretches of wall on the west and north – is what was left behind.
What to see and do
There isn’t a great deal to do beyond the walk up and the view, which is the honest appeal of the place. The keep’s outline is clear enough in the grass to give a sense of scale, and on a bright day the sweep north-east over the patchwork of Mayo fields is genuinely good. Don’t expect the Atlantic, though – despite what you may read elsewhere, the sea isn’t visible from here. The West Mayo Way passes nearby, so the castle works best as a short detour folded into a longer walk rather than a destination in itself.
Practical Information
- Admission: Free; the site is open countryside with no facilities, no toilets and no refreshments.
- Parking: A small lay-by off the R330 near Aughagower takes a few cars. A sign points west off the road; the hill is right there.
- Access: A short, unpaved footpath up uneven, grassy ground with low stone walls. Sturdy footwear helps, and it gets slippery after rain. Not wheelchair accessible.
- Dogs: Welcome on a lead.
- Getting there: From Westport, head south-east on the R330 towards Aughagower for about 6km and follow the local sign for the townland of Doon.
- Seasonal notes: The hilltop is exposed and the wind can be brisk even in summer. Best in daylight; there is no lighting.
Nearby Attractions
Doon Castle is a short hop from the village of Aughagower, with its round tower, St Patrick’s church and holy wells. Westport itself is four miles away – worth it for Westport House, the very estate that took the castle’s stone, and for the shore of Clew Bay.