The 8 Best Castles in Ireland
The best castles in Ireland include Dublin Castle, Ashford Castle, and Blarney Castle. This guide covers what you can do at each site and how to get there.
If you’re in Ireland, you need to visit the best castles. You will see them standing in the middle of farmland, guarding river crossings, or sitting right in the centre of busy towns. Unlike countries defined by grand royal palaces, Ireland’s castles grew out of local power struggles, since there was no royalty in the land of Éire.
This list groups the most significant castles by what they are offering today. You can stay in a luxury hotel, join a medieval banquet, or walk through record-breaking gardens. Here is the main reason to visit each one.
We rate the best castles in Ireland by their activities, their importance, and tell you why they’re worth visiting on your next holiday.
1. Dublin Castle, Dublin
Visitors love Dublin Castle because they can walk through the actual seat of Irish power. You can stand in the ornate Throne Room or look at the massive chandeliers in the State Apartments. The site also features the circular Dubh Linn Garden, where the patterns in the grass mark the original "Black Pool" that gave the city its name. It can be a quiet, green retreat right in the middle of the busy capital. King John of England founded in 1204 on the site of an earlier Viking settlement. (This means you’ll be visiting one of the oldest castles in Great Britain and Ireland, even if the Dublin Castle doesn’t advertise itself this way!) The castle stands on Dame Street, within walking distance of Trinity College in the city centre.
2. Ashford Castle, Mayo
The main draw in Ashford Castle, easily one of the most elegant castles in Ireland, is the "Hawk Walk" on the shores of Lough Corrib. You can walk through the woods with a bird of prey at the castle's falconry school and watch a hawk land directly on your gloved fist. You can enjoy both medieval architecture and high-class activities at this huge five-star hotel, such as private movie screenings or morning walks with the resident Irish Wolfhounds. And if you’re an early riser, you can have breakfast at Ashford Castle, which is served daily in the elegant, chandelier-lit George V Dining Room.
3. Blarney Castle, Cork
People come to Blarney Castle to climb the tower and kiss the Blarney Stone. You have to lean backwards over a sheer drop to do it, which is said to give you the "gift of the gab." Once you get back down, you can walk through the Poison Garden or the Fern Garden. It is a busy site, so expect a queue for the stone if you arrive midday. The property lies eight kilometres northwest of Cork city centre within the village of Blarney.
4. Rock of Cashel, Tipperary
The Rock of Cashel served as the seat of the Kings of Munster until the O’Brien dynasty gifted the site to the Church in 1101. This collection of medieval buildings sits on a high limestone outcrop. You have to walk up a steep hill to reach the entrance, but the view from the top looks out across the Golden Vale. Inside the walls, you can see a round tower that has stood since the 12th century and the intricate carvings in Cormac’s Chapel. It is strictly a heritage site, so there is no hotel or restaurant inside the walls.
The property is a national monument. It is located approximately two hours from Dublin by road and will require a steep 200-meter walk from the municipal car park.
5. Dromoland Castle, Clare
People come to Dromoland Castle to play golf, to pamper themselves in a spa, or to try high-end meals. Golf and whiskey are Scottish inventions… but Ireland has their take on them. Every visitor knows about the whiskey distillers by the Irish countryside, but fewer know about the historical sites to hit the links. This estate functions as a luxury resort where visitors can hit the links. You can play golf on the 18-hole course or walk through the 500-acre demesne. The building is a Gothic Revival mansion that replaced an older tower house, so it feels more like a palace than a fortress. It is located approximately 15 minutes from Shannon Airport in County Clare.
6. Trim Castle, Meath
People love visiting Trim Castle to walk through the walls and recognise shots from Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. It is the largest Anglo-Norman fortification in Ireland. You can walk around the massive curtain walls and cross the moat to get a sense of its scale. The central keep is a unique twenty-sided tower (yes, twenty sides. This is a very rare characteristic for any castle in Europe, and it’s worth checking out. The keep consists of a large central square tower with additional smaller square towers projecting from the middle of each of its four sides, and this specific cruciform arrangement creates 20 distinct corners or wall faces.) You can pay to go inside the keep or just enjoy the grounds for free. It is an easy drive from Dublin and takes less than an hour.
7. Bunratty Castle, Clare
People love to visit the called the Bunratty Castle & Folk Park for its medieval banquets. You can eat dinner in the main hall while listening to period music. During the day, you can tour the rooms to see 15th-century furniture and tapestries. The village surrounds the castle, so you have plenty of options for food and drink right next to the entrance. Clare County Council now manages the estate following a recent transfer of ownership. Shannon Airport lies approximately 15 minutes away by road.
8. Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny
People visit Kilkenny Castle to see the Long Picture Gallery and its spirited painted roof. You walk through a massive hall filled with family portraits and light, which feels much brighter than the dark stone exterior. Outside, the 50-acre parkland provides a perfect spot for a picnic or a run right in the centre of the city. Since the town bought the estate for just £50 in 1967, it has served as the main social hub for the local community.
Best Castles in Ireland
The best castles in Ireland prove that Irish castles can still function as viable businesses or private homes. You see them thriving as hotels, event venues, and visitor attractions. The market presents clear frameworks for ownership and restoration. We curate a collection of heritage residences for sale across the country.
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