Must See Castles in Ireland

Are you interest in castles?  If so, Ireland is the place for you.  In as little of 7 nights, you can travel at a comfortable pace and stay in 4 different castles: Clontarf Castle in Dublin, Abbeyglen Castle in Clifden, Ballysdded Castle in Tralee and Barberstown Castle in Kildare.  Of course this is just one sample itinerary. There are over 30,000 castles and ruins dotted throughout Ireland.

If you want to plan your entire trip around castles, here is our list of Must See Castle in Ireland.

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle was built about 600 years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest Chieftans, Cormac MacCarthy. It houses one of Ireland’s greatest treasures, The Blarney Stone, the legendary stone of eloquence, found at the top of the tower.  Kiss it and you’ll never again be at a loss for words.  Once upon a time, visitors had to be held by the ankles and lowered head first over the battlements to kiss the stone. Today, we make it a little easier. The stone is still set in the wall below the battlements, but to now kiss it, one leans backwards and holds an iron railing.  From the top of the castle you can take in views of the beautiful parklands. Visit and walk through the gardens, where the beauty changes with the seasons. There is something to see all year round. Your visit to Blarney Gardens need never be the same.

Cahir Castle

Cahir Castle is situated in the center of the town of Cahir in County Tipperary. Built more than 800 years ago as an impenetrable fortress it was considered the safest castle in Ireland.  It is now restored and part of Irish History.  Originally, the castle was built on an island rock on the river Suir and all it consisted of was gatehouse, a hall, and surrounding wall. As the centuries past it grew in size with modifications being made by the occupants depending on times of peace or of battle.  From its small beginnings, it now has a banquet hall, a gatehouse, numerous towers, a dungeon, living quarters, cobbled surfaces, well groomed gardens and everything you would expect to see in a Medieval castle.

Bunratty Castle

The site on which Bunratty Castle stands was in origin a Viking trading camp in 970 and is one of the best medieval castles in Ireland. The present structure is the last of four castles to be built on the site. The extensive restoration work began in 1945 with the help of the Office of Public Works, the Irish Tourist board and Shannon Development. It opened to the public in 1962 as a National Monument. It is the most complete and authentically restored and furnished castle in Ireland.  Enjoy the sights, sounds, tastes, scents of Bunratty Folk Park while visiting Bunratty Castle. Stroll from house to house and around the charming village streets complete with school, post office, doctors house, hardware shop, printers shop and McNamara’s Pub. The gardens at Bunratty Folk Park have been restored and modeled on the original Regency period garden which supplied fruit, vegetables and flowers to Bunratty House; one of the great gardens of Ireland.

Doe Castle

Every castle has its legends of tragedy, romance, and ghosts. Doe Castle is no exception. Built on a jutting rock and guarded by an inlet of Sheephaven Bay, Doe Castle stands as a giant on its shores. The tower stands 50 feet high, has one room on each of four floors with walls eight feet thick. One of the rooms – the one where young O’Boyle was held-called The Dungeon, was located on the third story instead of the bottom. The doorway was built two feet higher than the level of the Dungeon and joins a winding stairway leading to the room above. This means visitors to The Dungeon must climb to the fourth floor and make his way down the stairs. The largest room in Doe Castle is its great hall, some 35 feet long and 18 feet wide.

Ashford Castle

The magnificent Ashford Castle is set in 350 acres, on the shores of Lugh Corrib. The Castle, dating back to 1228 now enters a new chapter in its history, as part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection. With 82 guest rooms, a wealth of activities and thoughtful touches, enjoy acclaimed Irish Hospitality on a grand scale.This Castle has had American Presidents and members of the British Royal family among its past guests. But Ashford Castle is not just for the rich and famous. It welcomes everyone with a love for luxury and quality.

Trim Castle

Trim Castle, the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, was constructed over a thirty year period by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter. The massive twenty-sided tower, which is cruciform in shape, was protected by a ditch, curtain wall and moat. It’s no wonder the makers of the movie “Braveheart” chose Trim in County Meath as the shooting location for their thriller.In Medieval times, Trim Castle stood like an imposing stone sentinel and powerful symbol of norman strength at the edge of the Pale, the small area of Anglo-Norman influence on Ireland’s eastern coast. To go beyond the Pale was to enter the hostile world of the Gaelic Irish.

Donegal Castle

Donegal Castle is situated in the center of Donegal town, County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland. For most of the last two centuries, the majority of the buildings lay in ruins, but the castle was almost fully restored in the later 1990’s. It is of a 15th-century rectangular keep with a Jacobean style wing. It can be found at the bend in the River Eske, near the mouth of Donegal Bay.Recently, the Office of Public Works has renovated the castle with new roofing and flooring. The stonework has been restored and the manor wing partially roofed. The castle is now open to the public and often hosts events such as Gaelic cultural evenings.

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle in the heart of historic Dublin, now houses Ireland’s Presidencies of the European Union, Presidential Inaugurations and prestigious functions in the “State Apartments”. The Undercroft is sited at lower ground floor level in the Lower Castle Yard opposite the Chapel Royal. The city walls join the Castle here. The original tower was five stories high-the top storey being occupied by the Lord Deputy during the 16th century. Access to the Medieval Undercroft and Chapel Royal is by guided tour only. The Chapel Royal is a gothic revival building famous for its vaulting, its fine plaster decoration and carved oaks galleries. The Chester Beatty Library exhibits open a window on the artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world. Their rich collection includes manuscripts, prints, icons, miniature paintings, early printed books and objects d’art from countires acroos Asia, Middle East, North Africa and Europe. The Revenue Museum, in the Crypt of the Chapel Royal offers interesting insights into the long history of the collection of taxes and duties in Ireland. Exhibits include inter-active smuggling games, video footage of alcohol duty assessment and counterfeit goods and stamping equipment.

Worth mentioning:  Limerick Castle, also known as King John’s Castle was renovated and offers a high tech exhibition which makes it a great choice for families.

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