9 Fantastic Castles in Ireland you’ll love
In this article, we share our favorite castles to visit in Ireland, what to expect in each and how to plan your visit.
Ireland has a staggering amount of castles.
Sources about how many there actually are vary, but as the saying goes, you can’t throw a stone in Ireland without hitting a street sign directing you to one castle or another, especially once in the countryside!
However, not all castles are created equal.
Some Irish castles are absolutely breathtaking: their grey walls dominate the surrounsing countryside and evokew tales of ancient battles, dramatic events and ghost stories.
Others are a little more than a pile of rubble in a windswept field and others again are now elegant hotels that are more manors than castles in stricter sense of the turn.
After many trips around the country and disappointing turns, I hav selected 7 Irish castles I love and thtat I recommend you include, in part at least, to your Ireland itinerary.
I hope you enjouy it!
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Blarney Castle, Co. Cork
Blarney Castle is the most famous castles in Ireland.
It is stunning, it has amazing grounds, it has towers and battlements and, of course, the famous Blarney Stone.
The Blarney Stone is a stone thas is said to give the ‘gift of the gab’ aka the ‘gift of eloquence’ to anyone who kisses it and eloquence seems to be very much in demand since the stone is very popular and considered one of Ireland must-dos!
The stone sits below the battlements, and reaching it requires some skill: The motivated visitors have to lie on their backs and bend backwards (literally) over the parapet to get their lips anywhere near the stone.
Originally it was only possible to do so with a reliable friend holding you by the ankles, but nowadays health and safety procedures means there is a railing, that makes the whole operation more secure.
You can even buy souvenir photos of your kissing endeavor in the souvenir shop downstairs.
If you don’t fancy dangling down a medieval tower, you can still enjoy Blarney.
The castle is stunning, makes for fantastic photo opportunities and has some gorgeous gardens that make a stop worth it: my favorite is the ‘poison garden’, closely followed by the Wishes Steps.
How to visit Blarney Castle: The castle is easy to reach by car or by bus tour; entrance is ticketed. The Vitis to the grounds can be done in your own time (you don’t need a guided tour of the estate). The grounds are largely stroller-friendly; the inside of the castle is not.
You can read here: our guide to visiting Blarney Castle
You can find all the practical information about tickets and opening times here
Trim Castle, Co. Meath
The second castle on my personal list of the best castles in Ireland is the fabulous Trim Castle, of Hollywood fame!
Trim Castle rose to fame thanks to Mel Gibson and his famous Braveheart (I know, I know, Hollywood poetic license!)
It is easy to understand the choice of Trim as the location for such an epic drama.
The castle very much embodies the image of the medieval castle as we know it from Celtic tales and legends, and sits with regal might amidst green, windswept lawns.
Trim is the largest Norman castle in Ireland, and its grounds are open to the public for a small fee.
If you take the guided tour (you should, it’s really informative), you can climb all the way to the top of the castle to enjoy the view and learn a few fun facts about it.
One of them is, of course, linked to the Hollywood rendition of Breavehart and will make you chuckle: Trim was used in the movie to portray 4 different castles, including the Tower of London!
How to visit Trim Castle: Trim Castle is easy to reach by car or bus tour; entrance is ticketed.
You can find here >> our guide to visiting Trim Castle
You can find the castle’s official site here
Trim is one of the best castles to visit in Ireland for movie lovers.
Kilkenny Castle, Co Kilkenny
Another stunning, inner city castle, is the wonderful Kilkenny Castle, one of the most imposing and well preserved in the country.
Kilkenny Castle was originally built by Strongbow but remained inhabited from medieval times to the XX century when it was sold to the city of Kilkenny for 50 pounds sterling!
The castle is now open to the public and both the inside and the grounds are worth a visit. Stop at the castle tea room for a treat or, if you have kids, set aside some time for them to play in the wonderful playground in the castle estate.
How to visit Kilkenny Castle: The castle is in the city of Kilkenny, which you can easily reach by car, train or bus tour (often tours to Kilkenny also include additional destinations since the city is compact in size). Entrance is ticketed.
You can find here >>> our guide to a day in Kilkenny
You can find the castle’s official site here.
If you are spending the night in Kilkenny, we recommend the Ormonde Hotel, a short stroll away from the castle
The rock of Cashel, Co Tipperary
The Rock of Cashel is an ancient fortress perched on a hill overlooking the town of the same name in County Tipperary.
The rock is an incredibly atmospheric site. Built mostly between the XII and XIII centuries, it sits on a high hill overlooking the otherwise flat land and immediately gives the visitor a sense of power and might.
Stepping in leaves you no doubts about the ancient origins of the rock, and it is easy to believe the legend that says that this is the location where St Patrick converted to Christianity, the then Kings of Munster!
The rock is enclosed by high walls, and it is made of a Gothic cathedral, a chapel and a round tower.
How to visit: The Rock is easily reached by car or bus tour (usually offered with Blarney Castle as a long one day tour).
Parking is immediately below it; entrance is ticketed. You can find the rock’s official site here
Dunlough Castle, Three Castle Head, Co West Cork
If you are looking for Irish castles in stunning, windswept locations, Ireland delivers, the next two castles in this list are breathtaking!
Possibly the most scenic castle I have seen in Ireland, Dunlough Castle sits among the remote hills of Co West Cork, surrounded by the wild scenery of the promontory known as Three Castle Head.
Dunlough castle was built around 1202 by the O’Mahony family who, under the lead of Donagh ‘the Migrator’ settled in this part of Mizen peninsula towards the end of the 12th century.
Rather than three separate castles, as the name suggests, is a structure made of three towers connected by a defensive wall spanning over 100 feet and has a peculiar legend.
History tells us that the O’Donohue family, who occupied the castle last, was cursed by terrible fate: all the members of the family are said to have died by either suicide or murder, and this violent history is apparently still remembered by these walls.
Legends report that a drop of blood falls every day from the towers, while other stories claim that the site of the castle is inhabited by a white lady of the lake and that whoever sees her dies on the spot!
You can read more about this incredible castle and how to get there (you cannot drive up to it and requires some hiking) in our Dunlough castle trip report
I believe this is one of the best castles to visit in Ireland for stunning scenery, imposing ruins and the echo or ancient legends.
Dunluce Castle, Co Antrim
Location-wise it is hard to think of a castle in a more impressive location than Dunluce.
Located on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland, the castle is hidden from the main road and suddenly appears as you take one more winding turn.
The castle seems to date back to the 1500s and had a tumultuous history matched by an equally tumultuous legend.
According to local history, a wing of the castle collapsed into the ocean, and the remaining walls saw the presence of a banshee!
I believe this is one of the best castles in Ireland for photographers, thanks to its incredibly scenic location
The castle is not far from the Giant’s Causeway and can be visited on the same day.
Ross Castle, Killarney, Co Kerry
If you are in stunning County Kerry and the famous Killarney National Park, you will have easy access to Ross Castle, another one of the most famous castles in Ireland.
Ross Castle is in a beautiful position overlooking a lake and is said to have been built by chief O’Donoghue Mór in the fiftheenth century.
Legend says that his ghost rests under the waters of the lake but, every seven years on the first May, rises again: if you catch a glimpse of him on his white horse, you will enjoy good fortune for the rest of your life!
The castle is in a scenic location on the lake, and you can easily get a glimpse of it with an easy walk to the car park. However, access to the castle itself can pose issues on visitors with mobility issues and must be booked ahead: due to the popularity of this area, it gets very busy. You can book here
Fun ways to enjoy views of Ross Castle are tours of the National Park, which can also be taken by boat or jaunting cart.
You can read here >>> our guide to visiting Killarney
Dublin Castle, Co Dublin
I’ll be honest: I don’t find Dublin Castle particularly exciting to look at.
However, I add this to this list of the best castles in Ireland because of the unparalleled role it had in the course of the history of the Republic of Ireland: out of all castles in Ireland, this is the one to visit if you want to learn about Ireland’s complex history.
Located in Dublin city centre, it almost hides under the modern buildings, but if you follow narrow ‘castle street’ it soon reveals its imposing towers and bastions.
The castle was first built in 1204 by order of King John of England as its strong walls protected the King’s treasure and the offices from which he administered the city.
The castle original design went through many alterations over the course of the centuries but his role as a bastion of the English crown in Ireland remained until 1922, when the Irish free state was proclaimed.
Nowadays it is open to the public for visits, is serves as a beautiful backdrop to cultural events and it is used for State ceremonies.
Since the castles is so historically significant, I highly recommend taking a guided tour to learn about it.
Birr Castle, Co Offaly
Birr Castle is in the small town of Birr, in County Offaly. It sits in the centre of the town surrounded by huge, grey walls protecting its beautiful rooms and stunning grounds.
The castle is still inhabited and while its interior is only occasionally open to the public, its grounds welcome visitors all year round.
The castle is surrounded by wide lawns and vast woodlands and is now equipped with a cafe and a lovely playground for kids.
One for families with kids: Birr Castle has a lovely playground with a bouncy hill, a sandpit, a hobbit house and a gorgeous treehouse! The treehouse, in particular, is impressive: it is the biggest in Ireland and is equipped with slides especially older kids will love. A visit here is one of our recommended things to do in Ireland with kids
Birr is also home of something special: in its grounds sits the famous Birr telescope, a marvel of mechanics that served astronomers for several decades.
The Birr telescope was built in the 1840s by the Third Earl of Ross who inhabited the castle.
Avid astronomer, the Earl built what became stayed as the biggest telescope in Europe for over 70 years. With it, he observed the sky and made important discoveries such as the spiral nature of some of the galaxies.
The telescope is very impressive and it is the reason why I believe Birr is one of the castles in Ireland you must include in your itinerary.
You can read here >>> our guide to visiting Birr Castle
This is Birr Castle official site.
I hope you enjoyed my shortlist of 9 castles to visit in Ireland and inspired your trip! Safe travels!
