Castle History

To many visitors Enniskillen Castle must present a puzzling array of buildings. In the middle stands the main castle, to the south with its two distinct turrets is the Watergate, and ranged about are barrack buildings and more modern additions.

All roads in Fermanagh converge on Enniskillen which commands an important strategic crossing of the Erne between the Upper and Lower lakes.

The first castle was built in the early 15th century by Hugh “the Hospitable” Maguire, whose family had by this period, secured the whole of the Erne basin. The first mention of Enniskillen Castle is in 1439. The castle became the principle Maguire seat in 1484 when Sean Maguire became chieftain of the clan. During the 16th century the castle was captured and retaken many times by the O’Donnells, the O’Neills and the English.

The castle became the focus of a plantation town after the defeat and subsequent departure of the Gaelic chieftains in 1607. Captain William Cole was then appointed constable of the Royal Fort of Enniskillen.

When the planters arrived they found not the princely house of the Maguires but a tumbledown wall enclosing the burnt-out shell of the medieval tower-house. Cole proceeded to rebuild the castle and a house alongside for his family. The Watergate was built between 1615-1620 and beside it on the inside is a well. The name Watergate is misleading as there never was a gateway here.

However in the 16th century there had been a gate leading to the water not far from the present watergate. The Castle remained the Cole family residence until a fire in 1710, when they moved to nearby Portora Castle and later to Florencecourt. The ruined castle was refurbished during the late 18th century as a military barracks. The castle and the surrounding barracks remained in military occupation until 1926.

Castle Keep
The rectangular three storey Keep in the centre of the castle complex incorporates the battered base of the old Maguire Tower House. It consists of vaulted ground level chambers originally devoted to storage and defence. In the 16th century it was exactly the same length and breadth as it is today but it was higher and had at least four storeys. The present windows are 19th century in date. The Castle in medieval times was separated from the rest of the island (now Enniskillen town centre) by a deep moat and the entrance was by a drawbridge from the north.