Take in the 360° view
From the wall-top terraces you look across Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly and over the whole Inishowen Peninsula; on a clear day the view is believed to take in five counties.
Grianan Of Aileach
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About
A 23m-wide dry-stone ringfort crowning a 250m hill in Inishowen, Grianán of Aileach was the royal seat of the Uí Néill and still delivers sweeping views over Lough Foyle, Lough Swilly and, on a clear day, five counties.
Things to Do
Find the holy well and cairn
A holy well dedicated to St Patrick lies on the southern slope of the hill, and a tumulus that may be a cairn or passage tomb sits to the south-east of the fort.
Walk the ramparts
The mortarless cashel is about 23m across, with walls roughly 5m high and 4m thick. Steps built into the three interior terraces lead to the top, and two passages run inside the wall itself.
Walk up from the car park
A short ramped path climbs from the car park to the fort in about two minutes, which makes the approach manageable for wheelchairs and strollers. The terraces inside involve steep steps.
Trace the royal history
An Grianán was the royal seat of the Cenél nEógain, destroyed in 1101 by Muirchertach Ua Briain and controversially rebuilt by Walter Bernard in the 1870s — the fort you see today.
Plan Your Visit
- Hours: Open daily 08:00–18:00, year-round. The OPW extended access in February 2024 and keeps the hours under review; the site is unstaffed and effectively open during daylight hours.
- Admission: Free — there is no entry fee.
- Parking: Free car park at the top of the hill, about a 2-minute walk from the fort, with wheelchair-accessible parking and entrance. No parking charge.
- Food: Nothing on the hilltop. The nearest food is at the An Grianán Hotel in Burt, about 2.5 km away, which also has a small interpretive centre on the fort's history; Derry, Letterkenny and Buncrana are 20–25 minutes' drive.
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