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Castles and Historic Houses Guides
103 guides
Explore Ireland’s castles, tower houses and historic houses through guides to individual places and regional groups.
Read the linked sources for historical context and use the official visitor information when planning a visit.
Ireland
- Castles in County Galway: Four Sites and Current Access
- Castles in County Offaly: Charleville, Birr and Leap
- Castles in Ireland: Seven Heritage Sites and How They Differ
- Castles in Meath: Trim, Athlumney, Slane and Dunsany
- Castles in Tipperary: A Practical Guide to Four OPW Sites
- Georgian Houses in Ireland: Six Country Houses to Compare
- Irish Tower Houses: What They Are and Where to See Them
- Medieval Castles in Ireland: Five Fortresses to Visit
- Castles in Kilkenny: A Practical Guide to Kilkenny Castle
- Dublin Castles: Four Sites Compared by Type and Access
- Adare Castle: Visiting the Desmond Castle on the River Maigue
- Askeaton Castle: A Closed Desmond Fortress Explained
- Athenry Castle: A Visitor Guide to the Medieval Hall-Keep
- Athlone Castle: A Royal Castle Closed for Renewal
- Athlumney Castle, Navan: A Visitor Guide to the Ruins
- Aughnanure Castle: O'Flaherty Tower House Guide
- Avondale House: Parnell's Wicklow Home and Forest Park
- Ballintober Castle, County Roscommon: Ireland's Largest Keepless Castle
- Ballyhack Castle Guide: Tower House, Defences and Nearby Sites
- Ballymote Castle: A Visitor Guide to the Sligo Ruin
- Bantry House: A Lived-In Stately Home and Terraced Garden
- Barmeath Castle: A Layered Family Seat in County Louth
- Barryscourt Castle: Ireland's Restored Tower House Guide
- Belvedere House, Gardens & Park: A Visitor Guide
- Birr Castle: Gardens, Great Telescope and Science Centre Guide
- Black Castle, Wicklow Town: A Headland Ruin Visitor Guide
- Blarney Castle: Visiting the Tower, Stone and Gardens
- Blarney House: The 19th-Century Estate Home in County Cork
- Borris House, Co. Carlow: A Visitor Guide to the MacMurrough Kavanagh Home
- Bunratty Castle: History, Restoration and Planning a Visit
- Cahir Castle: Defences, Butler History and Visitor Guide
- Cappoquin House: Georgian Mansion and Hillside Garden
- Carlingford Castle: Norman Stronghold Above the Lough
- Carlow Castle: A William Marshal Keep in Carlow Town
- Carrigafoyle Castle: Guardian of the Shannon Visitor Guide
- Carrigaholt Castle: A MacMahon Tower House on the Shannon
- Castle Ruins in Ireland: Five Ancient East Sites
- Castlecoote House: History, Restoration and Visiting
- Castles in Carlow: Three OPW Medieval Sites Compared
- Castles in Cavan: Cabra Castle and Castle Saunderson
- Castles in County Kerry: Ross, Listowel and Carrigafoyle
- Castles in County Mayo: Four OPW Tower Houses and Hall-Houses
- Castles in Louth: Carlingford Castle and Castle Roche
- Castles in Roscommon: Roscommon Castle and Other Castle Sites
- Castles in Sligo: Ballymote and Ballinafad Explored
- Castles in Wexford: Ferns and Sigginstown Compared
- Castletown House, Celbridge: A Visitor Guide to House and Parklands
- Charleville Castle, County Offaly: A Visitor Guide
- Clonalis House: O'Conor Seat, Collection and Visit Planning
- Clonony Castle, County Offaly: History and Access Guide
- Clough Oughter Castle: Ireland's Boat-Only Crannog Tower
- Collon House, County Louth: Georgian House and Garden Guide
- County Clare Castles: Tower Houses, Gardens and Castle Stays
- Derrynane House: Daniel O'Connell's Kerry Home and Parkland
- Doe Castle, County Donegal: A MacSweeney Tower House Guide
- Donegal Castle: A Visitor Guide to the O'Donnell Stronghold
- Doneraile Court: Georgian House and Free Park Guide
- Drishane House, Castletownshend: A Visitor Guide to the Somerville Home
- Dungarvan Castle: History, Access and Visiting Status
- Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara: History and Current Visitor Status
- Dunsany Castle, County Meath: History and How to Visit
- Dysert O'Dea Castle and Monastic Site Visitor Guide
- Emo Court, County Laois: Gardens, Parkland and House Guide
- Ferns Castle: A Guide to the Norman Stronghold at Ferns
- Forts in Ireland: Four Defended Sites and How to Visit Them
- Fota House: Regency Mansion, Art Collection and Gardens Guide
- Glenquin Castle: Visiting the O'Hallinan Tower House
- Glenveagh Castle: Visiting the Victorian Mansion in Donegal
- Gloster House, County Offaly: Georgian House Guide
- Haunted Castles in Ireland: Folklore, History and Real Places
- Huntington Castle, Clonegal: A Visitor Guide to House and Gardens
- Killruddery House: House Tours and 17th-Century Gardens
- Knappogue Castle, Co. Clare: Banquet and Garden Visitor Guide
- Leap Castle, County Offaly: History, Architecture and Visiting
- Leixlip Castle: A Norman Castle Above the River Liffey
- Lismore Castle: Gardens, Gallery and Visitor Access
- Lissadell House, County Sligo: A Guide to the Estate
- Listowel Castle: Anglo-Norman Tower House Guide
- Maynooth Castle: A FitzGerald Stronghold in Kildare
- Muckross House: History, Gardens and Park Setting
- Nenagh Castle: A Norman Tower in the Town's Story
- Newbridge House, Donabate: A Visitor Guide to the Georgian Mansion
- Norman Castles in Ireland: Five Anglo-Norman Sites to Know
- Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir: Ireland's Elizabethan Manor House
- Parke's Castle Guide: O'Rourke Tower House on Lough Gill
- Portumna Castle and Gardens: A Visitor Guide to the Jacobean House
- Powerscourt House: House and Gardens Visitor Guide
- Reginald's Tower, Waterford: Viking Fortress Visitor Guide
- Rock of Dunamase: A Visitor Guide to the Laois Castle Ruins
- Rockfleet Castle: Grace O'Malley's Tower House in Clew Bay
- Rokeby Hall, County Louth: A Visitor Guide to the Georgian House
- Roscommon Castle: A Closed Anglo-Norman Ruin in Roscommon Town
- Roscrea Castle: Castle, Gardens and Black Mills Guide
- Ross Castle: A Visitor Guide to the Tower House on Lough Leane
- Russborough House: A Visitor Guide to the Wicklow Estate
- Slane Castle Tour: Booking, Access and What to Expect
- Strokestown Park: House, Famine Museum and Gardens Guide
- Swiss Cottage Cahir: A Cottage Orné Visitor Guide
- Tarbert House, County Kerry: A Leslie Family Seat on the Shannon
- Trim Castle: Ireland's Largest Anglo-Norman Fortification
- Tullynally Castle: Inside the Pakenham Family Home and Gardens
- Westport House, County Mayo: A Visitor Guide to the House and Estate
- Limerick Castles: King John's and Adare Visitor Guide