History of Buncrana

an original 14th century Norman castle. The first two levels of the keep were built after 1333. In 1601 the O'Doherty's Keep was described as being a small, two story castle, inhabited by ConorMcGarretO'Doherty. In 1602 the third level was added and it was upgraded by Hugh Boy O'Doherty as an intended base for Spanish military aid that hoped to land at Inch.

The keep was burned by the English in 1608 in reprisal for the rebellion of Cahir O'Doherty who sacked and razed the city of Derry. After Cahir O'Doherty was killed and his land seized, the keep was granted to Sir Arthur Chichester, who then leased it to Englishman Henry Vaughan, were it was repaired and lived in by the Vaughan family until 1718.

In 1718, Buncrana Castle was built by George Vaughan, it was one of the first big manor houses built in Inishowen, and stone was taken from the bawn, or defensive wall, surrounding O'Doherty's Keep to build it. It was erected on the original site of Buncrana, which had grown up in the shadow of the keep. Vaughan moved the town to its present location, where he founded the current main street and built the Castle Bridge (a six-arched stone single lane bridge) across the River Crana leading to his Castle.

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