Castles

Castles

If there’s one thing Ireland can thank the Normans for, it’s castles. They can be found around the island in various states of ruin, restoration and resplendence. While all of Ireland’s kings are long gone, some families still reside in these fabulous forts and others are left vacant for visitors to wander the halls, see the hanging tapestries and smell the wafting scent of mead.

Our castles have been film sets, album covers, medieval banquets and historic sciences. Others have hosted some fairly famous weddings during their time including the Beckhams at Luttrellstown Castle, as well as Sir Paul McCartney at Castle Leslie and rugby International Brian O’ Driscoll at Lough Rynn Castle. And it can be certain that all of them have seen their fair share of battle scenes and fisticuffs between their noble owners. Those thick stone walls have seen it all and then some.

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Dine like a king

Immerse yourself in medieval life by wandering the grounds of a castle, admiring their walls festooned with ivy and even kissing a magical stone. The Blarney stone might leave you with the famed Irish eloquence, aka ‘the gift of the gab’. Find time during your sightseeing to give it a smooch and wait for the endless chitchat to kick in. Some Irish castles allow you to dine like royalty for the evening. Dunguaire Castle serves up history as guests cross the threshold. At Knappogue Castle, swig from a goblet of mead and be enthralled by a lesson in castle history and chivalry by the butler. Bunratty Castle serenades with songs from the medieval ages following a four-course meal. After a night playing King Arthur at the not-so round table, you’ll probably be eager to sleep through castle life too.

Sleeping Beauty

Imagine having an entire castle just for yourself and your family and friends, without having the bother of marrying into royalty. Ireland's castles can offer such an experience in sumptuously decorated places. Some even with a few ghosts roaming the corridors. Mingle with nobility at Crom Castle, which has self-catering apartments in its West Wing and an actual Lord (Erne) living in the other wing. Lovingly restored Cloghan Castle will transport you back 800 years for a party your friends and family will never forget. What better way to spend an evening than to be wined and dined in a magical castle? Throw on an apron and cook for your guests, or be treated like royalty with a helping hand. Crack open the mead (or red wine) in Killiane Castle and party like it's 1699!

Castle ruins

Despite so many castles fully functioning in Ireland, some were left unattended for centuries, becoming ruins of their former selves. Although a little shabby-chic, the ruins are still striking to look at. Dunluce Castle teeters on the basalt cliffs of the Causeway Coast. It was abandoned when the kitchen fell into the sea, so you’d be right to think the spot precarious. The ‘Black Castle’ at Leighlinbridge had an eventful past and was one of Ireland’s earliest Norman castles. Today the remains of the 14th Century round tower, beside the town's arched bridge built in 1320, makes a cracking photo opportunity. Mallow Castle was built to withstand invasions but it failed in 1645 and was taken from the owner. With crumbling facades, bare walls and maybe the odd mouse family or two, these castle ruins are no longer lived in but are still very much loved.

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