Peaceful and picturesque, the whole area of Lough Eske, with its island studded lake, and castle still majestic in its ruins; where lofty mountains with graceful waterfalls rise above its densely wooded slopes; where bird song prevails and ancient memories seem to fill the air is a place where a serene and unspoiled environment can be appreciated in full.

At Lough Eske, history and natural beauty combine to inspire native or visitor alike, and past and present harmonise to create a sensitivity and understanding for Donegal’s most perfect corner.

Set at the foot of the Blue Stack Mountains with waterfalls at both North and South Lough Eske meaning [Lake abounding in fish] is 3 miles long and 1 mile in width at its widest point, it fishes Salmon, brown and white/Sea Trout. There is a tradition of fishing in November for char, only one of four lakes in Ireland that have them. Char come from the salmon tribe and lives in deep water so Lough Eske being 102 feet in depth suits them.

Lough Eske has 12 islands, but the one that is talked about most is the Isle of O’Donnell with the remains of a barn or castle. It is said that the O’Donnell’s used this island to keep prisoners secure which makes it the Alcatraz of Donegal.

The Lough Eske area is closely identified with O’Donnell’s and the turbulent times of the middle ages. In a woodland to the northern side of the Castle can be seen a portion of the ruins of one of the O’Donnell’s castles, and also at Murvagh. They would have lived here prior moving to Donegal Town, Murvagh being the main residence. When the O’Donnell’s exactly left Lough Eske is unknown, but the Annuals of the Four Masters tells us that the earliest mention of them in Donegal Town was 1474 with both the abbey and castle being built around that time. They kept their ‘island prison’ on Lough Eske. The flight of the Earls from Rathmullen on the 14th of September 1607 saw the end of the O’Donnell power. In 1861 the new Lough Eske Castle was built on the site of an old Brooke mansion which itself a rebuilding of the original Jacobean House. A date stone of 1621 with initials W.H. and I.M. remain in the castle yard.

Now rising in ruined grandeur in sylvan surroundings Lough Eske Castle is a tribute to the stonecutters and masons who erected it. It was built in Elizabethan style, the Architect was Mr. Fitzgibbon Louch C.E of Sackville Street Derry, and the contractor was Mr Albert Williams.

Mr. Brooke ancestors had come to own the Lough Eske property n 1717 through a marriage with the Lough Eske Knox’s. Thomas Brooke who built the castle was not a Brooke by birth. He was born Thomas Young, but changed his name to inherit the property.

All the ornamental stonework came from the mines of the Monaghan’s Quarry in Drimkeelan near Fosses and road was built to transport the sandstone or freestone to Lough Eske Castle. A road in Drimkeelan was built where in parts of it measure 16 feet in depth, to this day is called the Lough Eske road. Thomas Brooke brought two Clydesdale horses with cockney drivers from England to draw the stone.

The Brooke coat of arms stands over the door on the cast and main entrance. The tower in an impressive part of the castle Architecture and dominates the whole building and adjoining countryside. The tower held the flagstaff; beneath the battlements all along the front of the castle were a line of finely carved gargoyles (Faces) no two alike, to throw the water of the roof through their mouths well out on the castle street. About ten years ago, when the castle belonged to the Forestry Department, most of the gargoyles were stolen.

In 1884 Brooke died, the castle became the property of Col. De Vere Brooke, then in 1894 general George White became the owner thus ending the Brooke dominance in Lough Eske.