Top 5 Castles in Ireland to Visit

A visit to Ireland is a once in a lifetime experience. Imagine going to some of the amazing castles in Ireland that were built as far back as the 1400s! You get to experience a little piece of that history. Here are some of the castles we think are the most beautiful and meaningful in Ireland.

Dublin Castle

This list just wouldn’t feel right without including country’s top castle. It has been the center of British power for over 700 years and houses the amazing Chester Beatty Library. Since the 1938 inauguration of the very first President of Ireland, all inauguration have taken place at the castle.

Blarney Castle

This castle is one of the most popular tour sites in Ireland. People come from all over just to kiss the Blarney Stone. The legend is that kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab, eloquence, or skill at flattery. Isn’t it such a beautiful and grand castle? For more information, here is their website.

Bunratty Castle

This is another one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland. It was built in the 15th century and is still standing strong today. The MacNamara family built the castle back in 1425 but the initial settlement is thought to date back to the time of the Vikings. It is so neat to see something still standing that was created so long ago, and it is open to the public to tour. If you want to learn more about the history of Bunratty Castle, take a peek here.

Cahir Castle

This beautiful castle is one of the largest ancient castles in Ireland. It was built in County Tipperary in 1142 by Conor O'Brien, Prince of Thomond, on an island in the river Suir. In 1961 the last Lord Cahir died and the castle reverted to the state.To find out more information and history about this castle, you can check out fun facts here.

Dunguaire Castle

Built in 1520 by the O’Hynes clan on the picturesque shores of Galway Bay, this restored 16th century tower house sits on a rocky outcrop on the shores of Galway Bay. We’ve saved the best one for last. There is an awesome legend that goes with this castle.Legend has is that part of the attraction of Dunguaire’s Castle is that the Lord of the castle was very generous. It is said that he even continued this generosity into the afterlife. One example of this is the story about a poor beggar whom King Guaire had often helped in life. The beggar visited the King’s grave and said, “King Guaire, even you cannot help me now.”Undeterred even by death, the King’s skeletal hand dropped several gold coins at the beggar’s feet. According to legend, still to this day, if a person stands at the front gate and asks a question, they will have an answer to their question by the end of the day.So Dunguaire’s Castle might be the first on your list if you have a question that needs answering right away!These are a few of the many amazing castles in Ireland that you might want to visit! If you’ve ever been to Ireland, what was your favorite castle? What was your favorite attraction?