History of Donadea and surrounding districts
The civil parish of Donadea occupies the southern area of the ancient barony of Oughterany and contains six townlands, Cooltrim north, Cooltrim south, Donadea, Donadea Demesne, Kilnamoragh north, and Kilnamoragh south, a total of 1937 acres.
The name derives from the Irish word Domnach which signifies a church and also Sunday. It is believed that all churches bearing this name were founded by St. Patrick, and the foundations were marked out on a Sunday.
One of the earliest references of the manor of Donadea was in connection with an inquisition taken in Cloncurry in 1312 Sir Walter Fitzhenry held the lands at that time. In 1356 John De Birmingham held the manor of Donadea, until his son was accused of treason. The lands was confiscated by Richard II and granted to the earls of Ormond. The Ormonds in turn granted the lands to the Aylmers of Lyons, who in 1597 settled the manor of Donadea on Gerald. In 1621, King James I created Gerald the first baronet of Donadea.
By the mid 1800s the Donadea estates were one of the largest in Co. Kildare, amounting to almost 16,000 acres. It was around this time that extensive development occurred in the grounds surrounding the castle. The works included the construction of a stone wall surrounding almost 600 acres, the development of an artificial lake, a massive programme of tree planting within the demesne and the realignment of existing roads.
In 1936 the Irish land commission acquired the lands of Donadea from the Aylmer estate. In 1981 Paddy Power T.D. for Kildare and Minister for Fisheries and Forestry opened Donadea Demesne to the public. The estate is at present under the care and maintenance of An Coillte.