Ireland has hundreds of castle ruins, but not all of them can be visited in the same way. This list covers ten across nine counties, in the Republic and Northern Ireland, and each entry says what you will see, when it is open and what it costs, as checked against official pages on 2 November 2026. We picked sites that are free or low-cost to see, that a visitor can reach, and that differ from each other.
Read the “Know before you go” notes before you set out: Trim Castle is closed for works until April 2027, Desmond Castle is a summer-only tour, and Leamaneh can only be viewed from outside.
| Castle | Why go | Cost / status |
|---|---|---|
| Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary | Cormac’s Chapel and a Gothic cathedral | €8 adult |
| Dunluce Castle, Co. Antrim | Castle on a sea-washed basalt stack | Paid entry (NI) |
| Trim Castle, Co. Meath | Ireland’s largest Norman castle | Closed for works to 1 Apr 2027 |
| Kells Priory, Co. Kilkenny | Free walled medieval priory | Free |
| Rock of Dunamase, Co. Laois | Hilltop ruin with wide views | Free |
| Doe Castle, Co. Donegal | Tower house on a bay promontory | Grounds free |
| Carrigafoyle Castle, Co. Kerry | Climb 104 steps to the top | Free |
| Monea Castle, Co. Fermanagh | Plantation castle with twin towers | Free (hours vary) |
| Desmond Castle, Adare, Co. Limerick | Riverside castle, summer tours | Tours Jun–Sep |
| Leamaneh Castle, Co. Clare | Fortified house, view only | Free, from outside |
1. Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary
A cluster of medieval buildings on a limestone outcrop above Cashel town: a 12th-century round tower, the Romanesque Cormac’s Chapel, and a 13th-century Gothic cathedral. It was the seat of the Kings of Munster before it passed to the Church, and it is the most complete group of medieval buildings on this list.
Know before you go
- Open: daily, 09:00–17:30 from 17 March to 15 October; 09:00–16:30 from 16 October to 16 March (last admission 45 minutes before closing). Closed 24–26 December.
- Price: adult €8, senior €6, child/student €4, family €20.
- Good to know: Cormac’s Chapel is by guided tour only, with limited tickets sold on site. The site is very exposed and can close at short notice in bad weather. Only assistance dogs are allowed.
- Getting there: public car park close by; or bus X8 to Cashel and walk about 500m. Allow 1–1.5 hours.
Official information: Heritage Ireland: Rock of Cashel.
2. Dunluce Castle, Co. Antrim
A 16th- and 17th-century stronghold built on a basalt outcrop on the Antrim coast and joined to the mainland by a bridge. Local tradition says part of the kitchen fell into the sea during a storm in the 1630s. You get the best view of it from the clifftop path before you pay to go in.
Know before you go
- Open: daily, 09:30–17:00 until 31 October 2026 (last admission 30 minutes before closing); closed 24–26 December and 1 January. Winter hours for 2026–27 were not published when we checked, so confirm before travelling.
- Price: charged; the figure changes each year, so check the official page.
- Note: Dunluce is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, so prices are in pounds sterling.
- Contact: 028 2073 1938.
Official information: Department for Communities (NI): Dunluce Castle.
For more castles that can be entered, see our guide to castles in Ireland you can go inside.
3. Trim Castle, Co. Meath
The largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, built from the 1170s beside the River Boyne. The cruciform keep is unusual in Ireland, and the castle was a filming location for Braveheart. The grounds are free to walk; the keep is visited on a guided tour.
Know before you go
- Closure: Heritage Ireland says Trim Castle will close for works from 1 November 2026 to 1 April 2027, so it is not open to visit this winter.
- Normal opening: from 17 March to 30 September daily 10:00–17:00; shorter hours in October and winter.
- Price: grounds free; keep tour adult €5, senior/group €4, child/student €3, family €13.
- Good to know: the keep has very steep, narrow stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. No picnics or climbing. Only assistance dogs.
Official information: Heritage Ireland: Trim Castle.
Our own Trim Castle guide covers the history in more detail, and if you want to know how these buildings worked, read the hidden rooms inside Ireland’s tower houses.
4. Kells Priory, Co. Kilkenny
A walled Augustinian priory founded in the late 12th century, fortified with a curtain wall and defensive towers. Few other sites on this list let you walk this much of a medieval monastic enclosure with so few people around. Admission is free.
Know before you go
- Open: the site is accessible all year. Heritage Ireland says the on-site guide service has ceased for 2026, so expect a self-guided visit.
- Price: free.
- Getting there: access is currently via the car park on the L1023.
- Good to know: uneven walkways; dogs on a lead. There is an audio tour and a river walk. Contact: 056 772 4623.
Official information: Heritage Ireland: Kells Priory.
Nearby, Jerpoint Abbey makes an easy second stop.
5. Rock of Dunamase, Co. Laois
A ruined castle on a limestone hill rising from the Laois plain, with a gatehouse, a keep and traces of a barbican. The site is linked with Diarmait Mac Murchada and his daughter Aoife, whose marriage to Strongbow tied the Normans to Leinster. It is a National Monument in State care, free to enter.
Know before you go
- Open: open access during daylight hours.
- Price: free.
- Getting there: a new car and bus park (44 spaces) has been reported as ready for use, replacing the old roadside space for a few cars. We could not find an official opening date, so check with Laois County Council.
- Good to know: steep, uneven grass; not wheelchair accessible; very few facilities on the hill.
Official information: Heritage Ireland: Rock of Dunamase.
Our guide to County Laois has more to see nearby.
6. Doe Castle, Co. Donegal
An early 16th-century tower house with a bawn on a promontory in Sheephaven Bay, protected on three sides by water and on the fourth by a rock-cut ditch. It was a stronghold of the MacSweeney gallowglass family. The grounds are free to enter.
Know before you go
- Open: sources differ. Several say the grounds are open daily, dawn to dusk or around 10:00–18:00. Check Heritage Ireland before a long drive.
- Price: grounds free. Summer guided tours of the tower have been offered; confirm dates and booking.
- Good to know: shoreline access depends on the tide, and the site is sometimes unstaffed.
Official information: Discover Ireland: Doe Castle.
7. Carrigafoyle Castle, Co. Kerry
A late 15th-century tower house on Carrig Island at the mouth of the Shannon Estuary, just over 24m high. Its walls were breached by artillery during the 1580 siege. A winding staircase of 104 steps leads to the top, which is the main reason to come.
Know before you go
- Open: an unguided OPW site with no staffed hours; open during the day.
- Price: free.
- Good to know: the spiral stairs are narrow and uneven, the site is unattended and has no facilities, and it is not suitable for young children. Take care in wet weather.
- Getting there: near Ballylongford, North Kerry.
Official information: Heritage Ireland: Carrigafoyle Castle.
Why are the stairs so tight? Read the deadly secret behind every spiral staircase in an Irish castle.
8. Monea Castle, Co. Fermanagh
A plantation castle built in the early 17th century for the Scottish planter Malcolm Hamilton, with two towers flanking the entrance and a bawn wall. It is a rare example in Northern Ireland of Scottish-style building from the Ulster Plantation, and it stands in open fields with few visitors.
Know before you go
- Open: hours vary by season and farming activity; DiscoverNI lists reduced winter hours and closure in December and January. Check before you go.
- Price: listed as free.
- Good to know: the castle stands on a working farm, so dogs are not allowed. The interior has been reported closed during conservation works; the grounds can be visited. Northern Ireland is part of the UK.
Official information: Department for Communities (NI): Monea Castle.
More in County Fermanagh: things to see and do.
9. Desmond Castle, Adare, Co. Limerick
A 13th-century castle on the River Maigue at the edge of Adare, later held by the Earls of Desmond. Its walls and keep stand close to the main road bridge. It is a guided-tour site in summer and can be seen from outside the rest of the year.
Know before you go
- Open: guided tours 1 June to 30 September, at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:30. It is closed to visitors now; the exterior can be seen from the village.
- Price: not published on the OPW page; ask Adare Heritage Centre.
- Booking: entry is only through Adare Heritage Centre in the village. Phone 061 396 666 or email [email protected] before you visit.
- Good to know: dogs on a lead; car park and toilets at the centre.
Official information: Heritage Ireland: Desmond Castle, Adare.
10. Leamaneh Castle, Co. Clare
A tower house on the edge of the Burren, built around 1480 by Turlough O’Brien and extended in the 1640s by Conor O’Brien and his wife Máire Rua into a fortified house. The tall windowed gable of the later house is what you see from the road.
Know before you go
- Access: the OPW lists it as a National Monument for external viewing from a distance only; you may not enter the land or building.
- Price: free to view.
- Getting there: between Corofin and Kilfenora on the Clare side of the Burren.
- Good to know: there are no facilities. It sits on private farmland.
Official information: Heritage Ireland: Leamaneh Castle.
Planning your castle trip
Most ruins in State care are free and open all year, but staffed sites such as Cashel, Trim and Dunluce keep seasonal hours, so check the official page the day before. Many sites are exposed and the ground is uneven, so wear sturdy shoes and avoid climbing stairs or walls in wet or windy weather. Ruins on farmland, such as Monea and Leamaneh, are not for walking through fields without permission. If you want a castle you can walk right into, see best castles in Ireland, and for planning a longer route see our guide to planning an Irish heritage trip.
Tell us your favourite
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