Enniskillen Castle

The exact date of the building of Enniskillen Castle is not recorded.

Hugh 'the Hospitable' Maguire died in 1428 after returning to Ireland from pilgrimage in Spain. The Castle must have been built before then, sometime during the 1420s. 

The earliest known reference to Enniskillen Castle occurs in the Annals of Ulster in 1439.

The text refers to King Tomas Og Maguire being held prisoner at his own castle in Enniskillen by Domnall Maguire ‘the Freckled’.

Maguire Chieftans

Gaelic Fermanagh was ruled by the Maguire chieftains. 

Their rule lasted for over 300 years from the end of the thirteenth century to the beginning of the seventeenth century.

King James

King James‘s advisors used the Flight of the Earls in 1607 as an excuse to confiscate land, and grant it to those who would undertake to settle and support the royal claim.

The undertakers, mainly English and Lowland Scots were to bring tenants to live and work on the land  found themselves amongst a hostile native population, and had to build defensive dwellings to live in.

World War II

Between 1941 and 1945 thousands of American, Canadian, Australian and British troops were based in Fermanagh, involved in three key operations: air defence from St Angelo Airport, training of air crew from a base at Killadeas and provision of air-cover for Atlantic convoys from the flying boat base at Castle Archdale.

St Angelo airport, known before the War as Rossahilly Aerodrome,was taken over by the RAF in August 1941and became the base for planes such as Beaufighters, Flying Fortresses and Spitfires.

The training base at Killadeas came into use in July 1942 by which time American, Canadian and Australian as well as British servicemen were being taught to fly Catalinas and Sunderlands.

Researching your Fermanagh Heritage

Within the Enniskillen Castle Museums complex is the Fermanagh Genealogy Centre, established in August 2012.

The Castle is also the site of the Enniskillen Museum and the Inniskillings Museum.