Dunguaire Castle

This beautiful castle located in the picturesque village of Kinvara, county Galway was constructed in 1520 by the Hynes clan on the site of a much older stronghold. This family are said to have been associated with the area since 662ad when the site is believed to have once been the royal palace of Guaire Aidhne the legendary king of Connacht . Sometime in the 17th century Dunguaire became the property of Oliver Martin and it remained the property of the Martin family until the early 20th century when it was purchased by surgeon and poet Oliver St. John Gogarty. Gogarty spent a lot of money restoring the castle and established it as the meeting place for several leading literary figures of the time such as W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Augusta, Lady Gregory, and John Millington Synge. In 1954 Christobel Lady Ampthill acquired the castle and completed the restoration work begun by Gogarty. Today it is the property of Shannon development and is open to the public. It is commonly thought to be the most photographed castle in Ireland

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