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The ruins of Buncrana Castle date
from the late 16th or early 17th century but were largely
rebuilt in 1718. They may be found close to O'Doherty's Castle.
It was to Buncrana Castle that Wolfe Tone was taken when he was
captured in 1798 after the Anglo-French naval encounter in Lough
Swilly. The ship which Tone commanded - "The Hoche" - was
repaired after the battle and renamed "H.M.S. Donegal" and as
such figured in the Battle of Trafalgar.
There are many charming walks in
the vicinity of Buncrana. Most popular of these is the Walk via
the Castle Bridge past Ned's Point and Porthaw Bay to Friar
Hegarty's rock where a local clergyman saffered martyrdom in
Penal times (1632).
On the way to Friar Hegarty's
rock you will pass the fort at Ned's Point which was completed
in 1812. This fine stone fort was built on the site of an
earlier earthen fort which was constructed after the panic
caused by the French expeditions of 1798. 1799 saw the
beginnings of emergency fortifications designed to fire on
vessels entering the Swilly.
The Lough being two miles wide
at this point and the range of the late 18th century weapons
being one and a half miles it was necessary to fortify both
sides - Dunree, Ned's Point and the Downe of Inch on the
Inishowen side.
The fort at Ned's Point has
been restored by the local Urban Council and is well worth a
visit.
Tullyarvan Mill is a tastefully restored mill dating the
19th century, which is being developed as a local craft centre
and tourist amenity | 
