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Event 2007: Flight of the Earls/ Imeacht na nIarlaí.   |   Event 2006, Remembering the 90th anniversary of the death of Tarlagh Mac Sweeney (An Píobaire Mór) c. 1831- July 1916.   |   The Niall Mór Headstone   |   Event 2005 - Remembering the 400th anniversary of the execution of Eoghan Óg Mac Sweeney.   |   Donegal Person of the Year 2004   |   Genealogical Table of the Mac Sweeney Chiefs of Doe   |   Ranald MacDonald of Keppoch, Chief of the Name   |    "AT ARM'S LENGTH  - Aristocrats in the Republic of Ireland"   |    The current Mac Sweeney Doe   |   Doe Castle Graveyard.   |    Event 2004  Remembering the Battle of Knockdoe   |   Great Book of Irish Genealogies   |    Galloglas   |   Remembering  Daniel Mac Sweeney 1830-1893, Event 2003   |   Daniel Mór Sweeney of Derryveagh 1840-1901 - Event 2002   |   Remembering the March to Kinsale  - Event 2001   |   Recalling Myles Mac Sweeney's Swim to Freedom - Event 2000   |   Mac Sweeney Doe   |   Obituary.   |   Related Links   |   Contact us   |   (NEW) Like the Thirteenth Chime,

Doe Castle Graveyard.

Doe Castle viewed from Creevagh Carn Point.

We are pleased that the replica Mac Sweeney Doe Grave Slab damaged in Doe graveyard, 2003, has been repaired by Dúchas (the Irish Government Heritage Service) at the request of  the "Descendants of Mac Sweeney Doe". Dúchas also fixed a metal mesh over the replica Grave Slab for protection from further vandalism. We thank the Dúchas personnel involved - Mr. Paul Mac Mahon, Senior Architect,  Mr. John Corcoran, Area Manager and Mr. Gideon Moore, Doe Castle Caretaker, who salvaged the shattered fragments.

From the mid 14th to the early 16th century the Chiefly family of Doe buried their dead in Gartan graveyard - beside the birthplace of St. Columcille but when Doe Castle was built, early 16th century, they ceased burying in Gartan and began to bury in the graveyard beside Doe Castle. When the victorious English confiscated the lands, castles and property of the defeated Irish nobility they never prevented them from burying their dead in their ancient family graves.  

Captain Hart, owner of Doe Castle in the 1830's, built the Mac Sweeney Doe Grave Slab, date c.1554, into the graveyard wall to protect it from vandalism. He also befriended Eamon Rua Mac Sweeney whom he recognized as Head of the House of Doe, cf. Dr. John O Donovan's Donegal Survey Letters, 1835. The Head of the House of Doe, Eamon Rua Mac Sweeney, died in the early 1850's in Derryveagh, parish of Gartan.  He was the last member of the Chiefly family of Doe to be buried in Doe graveyard. From then on the Chiefly family of Doe, resumed burials in Gartan graveyard.  

        Grave Slab in the graveyard wall, c.1890.

Tomás Mac Suibhne/ Thomas A. Sweeney, the current Mac Sweeney Doe, is  the senior great, great, grandson of Eamon Rua Mac Sweeney and is custodian of the graves of the Chiefs of Doe in Doe graveyard.

                                     Sept. 1, 2004