Exterior Entrance

Today, the ruins of Monea Castle stand 1km south of Monea Village, on a small sandstone ridge or plateau surrounded by agricultural fields. The finest of Fermanagh’s Plantation Castles, Monea Castle is a well-preserved four-storey building.  

Monea may have been the headquarters of the Maguire clan before Enniskillen became their capital.  In 1616, King James granted the Maguire lands to a Scottish Planter, Reverend Malcolm Hamilton who started building his castle to guard the approaches from Connaught.  Hamilton was the Rector of Devenish and later the Archbishop of Cashel.  By 1619, Monea was described by Pynnar as "a strong castle of lime and stone being 54 feet long and 20 feet broad".

Monea Castle was built as a defensive stronghold.  Its two massive, full-height round towers have square projecting towers guarding the entrance which can still be seen in the side of one at ground level.  Behind this is a rectangular building with several chambers.