Lough Key Forest Park County Roscommon

Lough Key Forest Park is home to McDermott's Castle, which is located on an island on the Lough.
There are more than thirty wooded islands on Lough Key in County Roscommon. On Castle Island, a little island of about half an acre is the magnificent McDermott's Castle. The bigger Lough Key Forest Park, which has just been made public, includes both the island and the castle.
On the island, a castle is thought to have stood since the 12th century, but lightning is said to have damaged it. When this occurred, the castle caught fire, destroying the magnificent home and claiming many lives in the process.
The castle was reconstructed in the wake of this disaster, and the current structure stems from that era. Despite the castle's general state of collapse, several lovely elements remain intact. This Roscommon castle and island have a rich history, but they also have a terrible narrative associated with them: the legend of na Bhán.
Na was the Chieftain McDermott's daughter, whose name gave origin to the castle. Na fell in love with a man her father thought was unsuitable for her. They, therefore, had a covert relationship.
The youngster would swim across the lake to meet Na, but on one occasion, he drowned because he was unable to complete the swim. According to legend, na passed away from a broken heart, and two trees that had grown over their graves intertwined to form a lover's knot.
In 2018, Castle Island was offered for sale for just €90,000, but it was later removed from the market.
McDermott's Castle is said to be in a "perilous state," but we can only imagine how stunning it would be if it were restored to its previous splendour!
W.B. Yeats, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, visited Castle Island in 1890 and contemplated establishing an art centre there. He was so in love with the island that he tried unsuccessfully to purchase the castle.
#irelandshistoricalspots #irishhistory #loughkey #roscommon #ireland #castle

[@lindahughes4409]

Lovely

[@liamoreilly783]

Great shots ..captured it beautifully...is it drone friendly there could you go as early as sunrise ?

[@irelandshistoricalspots]

Thank you! It is a drone friendly spot, you have to pay for parking. From what I remember, it's €2 for the stay. It's worth checking the weather before you go as it can get quite windy at Lough Key.

[@liamoreilly783]

@Ireland's Historical Spots thankyou gives a good couple of hours before sunset so may head over today ..many thanks !!