Lip Castle was built in the 15th century and for many centuries was a fortress that served as a stronghold for the entire county. The castle is located on the edge of a picturesque hill, from where you can see the entire surrounding area, which is undoubtedly very convenient for a defensive structure.
Throughout its existence, Lip Castle was destroyed several times, but subsequently it was always rebuilt.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it survived a serious fire, after which it has not been fully restored to this day.
Now Lip Castle is privately owned, and restoration work continues. Sometimes the castle is allowed tourist groups, open access and lovers of mystical tours.
Lip Castle in Offaly, Ireland, is said to be one of the most cursed castles in the world. The castle is indeed teeming with ghosts and demons.
At the Lip Castle big story the murder and torture perpetrated here. More than 400 years ago, it was the stronghold of the powerful and vicious Ocarroll family. They hired soldiers to commit murders on their orders, and when they came to them for payment, they themselves were also killed, in the Ocarroll family castle.
There was a special room in the castle. It was a small, floorless room directly above the dungeon. If the Ocaroll family needed to kill someone, they would invite the victim into this room, and when the person least expected, they would push him in the back and fall down into a stone sack. The worst thing was that the victim fell into the dungeon, which was filled with wooden spikes. So, the victim, pierced by a wooden thorn, slowly died below, and the Ocaroll family for a long time heard the screams of the unfortunate man, which echoed through the castle.
When workers were cleaning the castle in the 1900s, they discovered this hidden dungeon. They were shocked to see hundreds of human skeletons lying there on top of each other. It took three carts packed to capacity to take out the bones of all the victims.
At one time, the castle Lip was led fierce struggle two brothers of the Ocarroll family. One brother was a warrior and the other a priest. The tension between brothers and grew, and one scary night, there was a tragedy. The priest was holding Mass in the chapel when his brother suddenly burst in and attacked him.
He stabbed his brother-priest with a sword in the heart, and he died right on the altar, in front of the whole family. Fratricide in itself is a terrible sin, and the fact that the murder took place during a religious ceremony turned the act into blasphemy. Since then, the room in which the priest died became known as the "Bloody Chapel," and the castle is believed to have been cursed.
Several years ago, a man stood near the Blood Chapel and saw a ghost who was dressed as a priest. The ghost approached him, and then suddenly disappeared right in front of him.
In 1659, according to local legend, the daughter of the head of the Ocarroll family fell in love with an Englishman named Darby, who was held captive by her family in the dungeon. She secretly carried food for him, and in the end helped him to escape. She ran away with her lover, but her brother got in the way. He raised the alarm and Darby immediately drove his sword into him. The lovers jumped off the castle wall and disappeared. After the murder of her brother, the escaped girl became the heiress of Lip Castle.
Years later, another girl lived in the Lip castle. Her father wanted her to marry the son of a rich gentleman, but she was in love with a poor guy from a local farm. When her father found them together, he killed the young man she loved. One night, while her father was sleeping, the girl came to his room and avenged her lover by killing him. The next day, she threw herself off the castle wall and crashed. It is believed that her ghost roams the castle every night, mourning her love.
One girl visiting the castle in our time saw a girl dressed in old clothes on the stairs. Then the girl disappeared into thin air. There was another case when a woman walked at the will of the castle and saw a girl who jumped from the castle wall. The woman screamed in horror, but the girl disappeared into thin air before she could fall to the ground.
In the late 19th century, Jonathan and Mildred Darby lived in the castle. Mildred Darby became very interested in the history of the castle. She was especially interested in stories about ghosts and the curse of the castle. She began to study the occult and even began to perform magical rituals in the dungeon castle.
It is said that during her occult experiences, Mildred Darby accidentally awakened a ferocious demon. One night, she was standing in the gallery and felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw a terrible creature behind her. It was a small, hunched figure that was half human, half beast. He had a thin, black face, and instead of eyes there were only dark hollows. The horrible smell emanating from the creature smelled like a decomposed corpse.
After Mrs.Darby's experiments, Lip Castle was doomed. It burned down under mysterious circumstances and has been abandoned for more than 70 years. Nowadays, locals in Offaly, they avoid visiting Lip Castle after sunset for fear of facing the evil that lurks in its ruins.
Many heard eerie groans and crying at night, and saw the lights at the top of the castle. At night, people saw the lights go on in the Bloody Chapel, and thousands of candles were lit at the same time. Some daredevils who dared to walk around the castle at night were faced with the unknown ghost of a lady dressed in a red dress.
A ghostly face in a hood was also seen. And from the room in the dungeon, terrible moans are still heard.
Ireland is an amazing country of greenery, fun, dancing and leprechaun stories, but it also has its own fly in the ointment. There is a place in the country that is included in almost all ratings of the most terrible and mysterious places on earth. This place is Lip Castle, which is located in County Offaly.
It looks like an ordinary castle, of which there are many throughout Europe, but when you go inside, you will immediately feel a ghostly cold creeping along your skin. In this terrible place, during the restoration, a huge dungeon was discovered, which is simply dotted with stakes. There were so many human bones in the dungeon that the workers had to transport 4 carts. Local residents bypass this place and claim that the castle is inhabited by ghosts, people who have died here.
Lip Castle has stood on the ground for over 400 years. In those days, this place was the main chamber of torture and murder. The Okerrol family lived here and hired soldiers to kill people. After returning for a reward, these soldiers were also tortured and killed in the dungeon.
All family members gradually moved away from each other, and one day the irreversible happened. The priest who was celebrating Mass in the chapel was brutally killed during the ceremony right on the altar by his own brother. This murder took place in front of the entire family. The room where everything happened is now called the "Bloody Chapel". Since then, it is believed that the castle was enveloped by dark forces, and it became cursed.
One eyewitness claimed that one day he was walking near the castle and saw an incomprehensible silhouette in the form of a priest. The ghost approached him and abruptly evaporated.
The castle was destroyed in 1922 by soldiers. For a long time it stood without owners, but in 1991 there were people who wanted to buy this place. They turned out to be Sean and Anne Ryan. They restored it and live happily in this terrible place.
If you love stories about scary castles, then you will be interested. Details.
Ireland is an interesting and original country full of legends and mysterious stories. This is where myths are mixed with real life... Locals say that there are still castles in Ireland in which ghosts live.
This gorgeous gothic castle located in Tullamore. It is surrounded by an ancient forest, which was a place for druidic rituals. The castle was built 2 centuries ago, and locals claim that Harriet, the earl's daughter, still lives there. This is why this place attracts ghost hunters.
It was built about 500 years ago by the ruling O'Donahue clan, whose head had a beautiful daughter. Once she met a local guy, and they fell in love. In order not to part, they decided to run away, but both died. It is said that the girl's ghost can be seen in the castle. 
The castle was built in the 13th century. Several centuries later, McQuillan became its owner, who wanted to marry his cousin's daughter, but the girl was in love with another person. The lovers tried to escape, but their boat sank, and the bodies were never found. Visitors to the castle claim that inexplicable screams are heard here. 
The history of this ancient castle dates back to the 12th century. Until recently, a hotel was located here, but in 2009 the old building was put up for sale. There is a legend about a graph that possessed magical powers and once disappeared without a reason. Locals say that it appears every 7 years. 
The castle was built in the 16th century. King Henry VIII handed it over to Thomas Boleyn in order to obtain the hand of his daughter Anne. The second cousins of Queen Elizabeth I lived in Klononi. Visitors to the castle sometimes encounter a ghost of a man who looks like a skeleton. 
Based on materials: unique-w.com
Ireland is not only green meadows with rainbows and cunning leprechaun dwellers. These are also unusual and mysterious places, covered with mystery and a mix of eerie stories. One of these places can be called Leap Castle in County Offaly.
Lip Castle in County Offaly was built in the late 15th century by the O'Bannon family.
Lip Castle can often be found in a kind of ratings of the most terrible places on the planet. And it is not surprising, because it is considered one of the cursed castles in the world.
The O'Carrolls often invited their enemies to dinner at the castle under the pretext of reconciliation, and then killed them right at the table or in bed after the feast. In the same way, dozens of mercenaries from the O'Neill and McMahon clans were killed, who had previously helped the O'Carrolls in the internecine wars and received death instead of payment. Under the dining room there was a dungeon ("kill"), into which unsuspecting guests fell through a secret door in the corner of the room. The bottom of the dungeon was dotted with sharp stakes, onto which the victims fell. If someone "missed", the O'Carrolls left him to die among the decaying corpses ...
From 1667 to 1922 the castle belonged to the Darby family. The founder of the clan, Jonathan, received the rights to the castle and adjacent lands as payment for service in the army of Cromwell, in addition, he married the heiress of the O'Carroll clan. In 1922, Darby, as representatives of the English nobility, were expelled from the country by the Republican rebels, and the castle itself was looted and burned.
According to some reports, when in the 1920s the castle was restored after a fire, workers found a huge amount of bones in the "kill" - it took three carts to clean up the dungeon. In total, the remains of 150 people were found. A pocket watch made in 1840 was also found among the bones, which gave rise to the assumption that the ubliet was used even in the 19th century.
At one time, the Lip Castle was a fierce struggle between the two brothers of the O'Carroll family. One brother was a warrior and the other a priest. The tension between the brothers and grew, and one terrible night, tragedy occurred. The priest was holding Mass in the chapel when his brother suddenly burst in and attacked him.
He stabbed his brother-priest with a sword in the heart, and he died right on the altar, in front of the whole family. Fratricide in itself is a terrible sin, and the fact that the murder took place during a religious ceremony turned the act into blasphemy. Since then, the room in which the priest died became known as the "Bloody Chapel," and the castle is believed to have been cursed.
Several years ago, a man stood near the Blood Chapel and saw a ghost who was dressed as a priest. The ghost approached him, and then suddenly disappeared right in front of him.
Bloody chapel
In the year 659, according to local legend, the daughter of the head of the O'Carroll family fell in love with an Englishman named Darby, who was held captive by her family in the dungeon. She secretly carried food for him, and in the end helped him to escape. She ran away with her lover, but her brother got in the way. He raised the alarm and Darby immediately drove his sword into him. The lovers jumped off the castle wall and disappeared. After the murder of her brother, the escaped girl became the heiress of Lip Castle.
Years later, another girl lived in the Lip castle. Her father wanted her to marry the son of a rich gentleman, but she was in love with a poor guy from a local farm. When her father found them together, he killed the young man she loved. One night, while her father was sleeping, the girl came to his room and avenged her lover by killing him. The next day, she threw herself off the castle wall and crashed. It is believed that her ghost roams the castle every night, mourning her love.
One girl visiting the castle in our time saw a girl dressed in old clothes on the stairs. Then the girl disappeared into thin air. There was another case when a woman walked at the will of the castle and saw a girl who jumped from the castle wall. The woman screamed in horror, but the girl disappeared into thin air before she could fall to the ground.
In the late 19th century, Jonathan and Mildred Darby lived in the castle. Mildred Darby became very interested in the history of the castle. She was especially interested in stories about ghosts and the curse of the castle. She began to study the occult and even began to perform magical rituals in the dungeon castle.
It is said that during her occult experiences, Mildred Darby accidentally awakened a ferocious demon. One night, she was standing in the gallery and felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw a terrible creature behind her. It was a small, hunched figure that was half human, half beast. He had a thin, black face, and instead of eyes there were only dark hollows. The horrible smell emanating from the creature smelled like a decomposed corpse.
After Mrs.Darby's experiments, Lip Castle was doomed. It burned down under mysterious circumstances and has been abandoned for more than 70 years. These days, the locals in Offaly avoid visiting Lip Castle after sunset for fear of facing the evil that lurks in its ruins.
Many heard eerie groans and crying at night, and saw the lights at the top of the castle. At night, people saw the lights go on in the Blood Chapel, as if thousands of candles were being lit at the same time. Some daredevils who dared to walk around the castle at night were faced with the unknown ghost of a lady dressed in a red dress.
A ghostly face in a hood was also seen. And from the room in the dungeon, terrible moans are still heard.
Most scary castle Ireland was destroyed and burned in 1922 by IRA soldiers. The current owners Sean and Anne Ryan purchased the estate in 1991. The family managed to restore the destroyed castle and, despite the possibility of meeting with ghosts, they are happy with their presence in this castle. 
The stunningly beautiful is famous not only for its wonderful natural landscapes, but also numerous castles, the history of which is inextricably linked with the history of the country, its sorrows and joys. Almost any medieval castle Ireland is steeped in mystical charm, its history contains a lot of mysteries and secrets, sometimes eerie and paranormal. Ireland is the country where there are many - shadows of the bloody past and to this day reminding living people of themselves. A lot of such ancient castles today have become either museums, and yet, they have retained a share of mystery and mystery. We have compiled a selection of the most interesting ancient castles in Ireland and tried to tell their fascinating ancient history.
Ashford Castle
Ashford Castle is one of the most beautiful historical sites in the western part of Ireland. It stands at the confluence of the Cong River with Lough Corrib, right on the border of the two Counties Mayo and Galway. Ashford Castle began to be erected in 1228 for the representatives of the aristocratic family of Normans de Burgh, later the spelling of their surname was changed to "Burke". A powerful medieval castle for three and a half centuries belonged to this powerful family, which proudly called itself the descendants of the indigenous Irish and did not recognize the rule of the British in any way. In 1584, Richard Bingham became the governor of the province of Connacht, where the castle stood. He was a rather cruel man; many noble families of the region, including de Burqui, rose up against him. Then Sir Bingham sentenced several members of this clan to be hanged. In 1587, the opposing forces concluded a peace agreement, and two years later Bingham took possession of Ashford Castle, making it a well-fortified enclave, where he was a real "king" and could commit various atrocities. The Queen of England soon grew tired of the regular complaints about Bingham's atrocities causing more unrest in Ireland, and ordered them to leave the territory. In the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the ancient Ashford Castle was bought by Baron Oranmore Brown, who redesigned the ancient fortress, making it an elegant French-style palace. Since 1852, this aristocratic Irish estate was bought by a local businessman Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, a descendant of the man who opened the famous Guinness brewery. In addition to increasing his finances, this man loved to conduct archaeological research, he made a huge contribution to the cultural component of the region, taking many useful steps to preserve the old Irish attractions. He bought the area surrounding the castle, planted a forest there, made excellent roads, and also added two more outbuildings to the structure in the Victorian style that was fashionable at that time. After his death, the castle was inherited by Arthur Edward Guinness, who in 1880 received the title of "Lord Ardilon" from Queen Victoria for his philanthropic services to the country. The new owner was very fond of Ashford Castle, he continued his father's work, expanded and equipped huge forest lands, and also rebuilt one wing of the building to his own taste. And also, the baron, who was a businessman, sponsored shipping on Lake Lough Corriba, and now small steamers could move between settlements located on the shores of the lake, stopping by the city of Galway. In 1939, the descendants of Lord Ardilon sold the castle to the Irish businessman Haggard, who turned ancient structure v excellent hotel... The people came to these Beautiful places, because in addition to accommodation, it offered such entertainment as hunting in the richest forest lands and fishing for salmon and brown trout in the waters of the lake. Since 1970, Ashford Castle came into the possession of the millionaire John Mulcahy, who often visited these places and just fell in love with the beautiful castle. This man decided that the castle needed restoration, he invested a fortune in increasing the scale of the building, renovating gardens, lawns, and made a huge golf course on the shores of Lake Lough Corrib. In 2007, the castle hotel was acquired by an Irish businessman, Gerry Barrett.
Today the magnificent Ashford Castle Hotel attracts tourists with its graceful medieval crenellated towers, beautiful parapets, numerous galleries, lancet windows. To get to the gate, you need to cross the bridge over the Kong River, crowned with watchtowers on both sides. The interior chateau interiors also delight the guests. There are eighty-five rooms here, and all of them are luxuriously decorated, furnished with antique furniture, decorated with filigree wood carvings, works of world art. Each hotel room is unique, its decor is original and inimitable. It is not for nothing that representatives of the royal and aristocratic families of Europe, famous world celebrities often stay at this hotel. The hotel's praise should be given to the chateau kitchen and the chic restaurant located in the "George V Room". The restaurant is staffed by Chef Stefan Matz, who was named Ireland's Best Chef in 2010. The restaurant can serve one hundred and fifty guests at the same time, they are accommodated in the "winter" hall, from the windows of which you can see the panorama of the lake and the river. There is also a "summer" Connacht hall, it can serve at the same time fifty people. The interior is more cozy and softer, there is a fireplace, the walls are decorated with carved wood panels.
So that the guests of Ashford Castle do not get bored, they are offered training at the local Falconry School, located on its territory, more precisely next to Lake Lough Corrib. Here you can have fun with traditional local amusements - fishing, walks along forest trails and a garden, take horse riding lessons, take a lake cruise on the Lady Ardilon ferry, play tennis, golf, shoot skeet, taste wines, seafood, visit the SPA. center, sauna, jacuzzi, exercise in the fitness room. If you want, the hotel staff will organize a whole adventure for you - a helicopter tour over Ashford Castle, a flight over the city of Galway, an acquaintance with the Moer Cliffs, the lands of Connemara. If you do not have an extra two hundred euros, and it is from this amount that the payment for one night of stay at the hotel starts, then you can visit the castle absolutely free of charge, and local employees will lead you on a tour of it at a low negotiated price.
The address of the castle hotel "Ashford Castle": Ireland, Cong, CoMayo.
Manderley Castle
This is an absolutely charming historical landmark in the Irish capital - Dublin, on this moment owned by singer Enya, formerly known as Victoria Castle, but has been renamed by an eccentric new mistress. The charming medieval-style Victoria Castle with crenellated turrets and a magnificent garden around was erected in 1840 and is dedicated to the day of the accession to the throne of Queen Victoria of England. The construction was carried out by the architect Robert Warren. The castle was surrounded by magnificent gardens, which occupied fourteen thousand square meters, and from the lancet windows of the castle one could see the Irish coast, right down to the lands of Wales. From the fortress under the gardens there was a secret passage leading to the Killiney beach, however, now this tunnel is walled up. The interiors of the castle were magnificent and lush, decorated with unique masterpieces of art. Unfortunately, in 1928 there was a severe fire in the castle, during which almost everything burned out. The restoration of the castle was undertaken by the architect Thomas Power, who renamed the building “Ayesha Castle”, alluding to the goddess from the novel, who was reborn from the fire element. In 1995, the owners of the castle, representatives of the Aylmer family, set up residential apartments and a gallery, which was named "Horse" in the premises of the former stables, in order to attract tourists. An exhibition of works by Irish and European painters has opened there.
Since 1997, the castle has become the property of the Irish singer Enya. She paid great attention to her safety in this huge building: she surrounded the castle with a real fortress wall three meters high, replaced the gate. Despite this, in 2005 robbers tried to enter Manderly Castle twice, and both times the owner was at home. Fortunately, the robbery attempts failed. Despite the fact that today Manderly Castle is a private territory, many tourists say that they managed to visit it through a direct agreement with the singer Enya. If you have a desire, then try to visit it yourself.
Manderly Castle is located at: Ireland, Dublin, Аrd Mhuire Park Killiney.
Blarney Castle
This ancient castle is one of the symbols of freedom-loving Ireland, located in the eponymous village of Blarney, in the suburbs small town Cork. Blarney Castle was erected in 1446 on the site of an earlier fortress, built in 1210, which later replaced a flimsy tenth-century wooden structure. The castle was built by Dermot McCarthy, he built a very powerful five-story fortress with thick walls, an extensive network of secret underground passages and hidden caves, so that in the event of a siege of Blarney, the owners could quickly hide without endangering their lives. These secret passages served very well for the owners of the castle in the seventeenth century, when Lord Brogill laid siege to the fortress and was even able to break through these powerful walls inside, but what was his surprise when, having entered the castle territory, he did not find a single living souls, and besides, all values were also taken out of Blarney by the masters.
The tour guides will tell you the many real stories and legends associated with the castle. One of them is the story of how the owner of Blarney Castle was able to refuse the powerful Queen of England, Elizabeth I, to transfer ownership of the building. According to the stories, the queen dreamed of taking possession of this magnificent castle, and the desire of the ruler in those years was the law. But, the wise owner Blarney was not ready to give up his ancestral property, although he also did not dare to say this openly. When another envoy came from the queen on this issue, he cordially greeted him with feasts, treats, hunting, gifts, said a bunch of pleasantries, conveyed letters to the queen with many compliments, assurances of eternal loyalty, but did not offer to accept the desired gift - Blarney Castle. Since then in English language a new term "to blarney" was introduced, meaning "to flatter" - to have sweet but useless conversations.
The second legend associated with Blarney Castle is the famous “Blarney Stone” - “Blarney Stone is the main attraction of the region, located at the top of one of the towers. The Blarney Stone or the "Stone of Eloquence" is covered with more than one myth, and, moreover, they are all different and do not reveal the essence of the appearance of this artifact. They say that this stone was donated to one of the owners of the castle by an Irish witch, to whom he turned to help him win a hopeless lawsuit. This man was distinguished by tongue-tied language and did not at all hope to win in the dispute, but after he kissed the stone that he received from the witch, he was able to charm the judges with his ornate speeches and won a stunning victory in the courtroom, defending his property. As for the "Stone of Eloquence" itself, it was a part of the famous Skunk stone, earlier it was used for the coronation of the kings of England and Scotland. An interesting legend of its acquisition: a daughter for many years egyptian pharaoh Ramses II drove around different countries seeking heaven on earth, and found it in Northern Ireland. The princess never parted with her talisman, a sandstone stone, which, according to the Bible, was Jacob's pillow, it was on it that he saw a dream about angels climbing stairs to heaven. When the princess of Egypt died, the stone was deposited in the Scottish abbey of Skuna. Part of this stone was donated to the ancestor of the castle builder, Demort McCarthy, after he helped King Robert the Bruce win the Battle of Bannockburn. Subsequently, during the construction of Blarney, part of the Skunsky stone was built into one of the walls of the tower, moreover, at its very top. Since then, the belief has been firmly entrenched in the stone that any person who kisses him will acquire the gift of eloquence. But you will have to try to kiss the stone: climb to the very top of the tower - its fifth floor, bend incredibly and, holding onto the handrails, kiss.
Today Blarney Castle is a fairly well-preserved square fortress keep, with powerful walls, fortified by towers at four corners. But the interior interior has not resisted to this day, although the guides tell you in detail about all the rooms: they will show you where the apartments of the owner Blarney, the rooms of his entourage, the guest bedrooms, and also the secret room for the murderers, hid servants there, always ready by order of the owner. kill an unwanted guest.
Blarney Castle has a very beautiful house in the Gothic style "Blarney House", eighteenth century buildings, however, the original building in 1820 burned out in a fire, and the new one was restored a little to the side in 1874. It is open to tourists from April to May on Fridays and Saturdays.
Blarney Castle Garden is another pretty mysterious place where you can feel a mystical atmosphere. Here are located such artifacts as: "Rock Close" - the ancient altar of the pagans, the Circle of Druids, the Witches' Kitchen. Interesting place is the "Ladder of the Witches" - this is a green split rock, inside of which you can walk along slippery steps, moreover, you must first make a wish and close your eyes, so that during your passage along the stairs, the little elves will fulfill your plans. The gardens around Blarney Castle appeared in the eighteenth century, laid out between centuries-old oak trees, intertwining corners of nature with man-made masterpieces of landscape design. It is allowed to have picnics in the castle garden, so there are always a lot of tourists here. In the castle itself, newlyweds are allowed to take photos for free.
You can visit Blarney Castle every day from nine in the morning to seven in the evening on summer days and until half past six in winter. Day off - December twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth. Price entrance ticket to Blarney Castle: adult - ten euros; for children from eight to fourteen years old - three and a half euros. The entrance to the park at the castle is free.
Blarney Castle Address: Ireland, Blarney Village.
Bunratty Castle
The massive and formidable medieval Bunratty Castle is located in County Clare in the eponymous village of Bunratty, near Shannon. This fortress has a long history. Back in 1425, it was erected by the Irish clan McNamara on the site of the citadel of the former Viking trading town, built in the tenth century. Then more castles were built here in 1250 and 1318, which were also destroyed. And the castle that we see now is the last fourth version of the structure, which managed to resist and survive well to this day. It took some time after construction and the castle was in the possession of the O "Brien family. The building was badly destroyed in 1641 during the Irish uprising, but it was rebuilt after five years. From the eighteenth century, the Studdert family owned the Bunratty castle. At the beginning of the nineteenth century they left the fortress in order to move to a more comfortable and elegant palace, and the old building gradually began to collapse from lack of maintenance and timely repairs.
Already in our days, the castle was recognized as an object cultural heritage, in the period from 1945 to 1954, the state carried out a global restoration there, so that it could be renewed to return all its medieval splendor. Its interiors were filled with antique furniture, household and art objects, priceless tapestries, and the rooms and halls were returned to the original luxurious decor that characterized the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Any piece of art here is supplemented with an information plate about its origin. Today, Bunratty Castle is considered one of the best preserved in Ireland, where the richest collection of medieval furniture and tapestries is collected. Medieval-style feasts are often held in its chic halls.
Tourists are happy to get acquainted not only with the castle, but with the village where it stands, because here they have the opportunity to visit local farms and fishing houses, learn about traditional crafts for the area, take pictures in national costumes, taste amazing dishes, watch historical scenes. who often go to the castle to entertain guests. It is very pleasant to walk in the garden surrounding the castle, it was created in a strict Victorian style, there are many flowers, fruits and vegetables.
The castle is open every day from nine in the morning until four in the evening, and the park is open until half past five in the evening. The price of a ticket with an included excursion for an adult is fifteen euros, for children - nine euros, for students - ten euros.
McDermott's Castle
The very beautiful and incredibly romantic McDermott Castle is located within the miniature green islet of Castle, which grew up in the middle of the picturesque Loch Key, in the Irish County of Roscommon, near the town of Boyle. The round lake stretches for ten kilometers, and thirty small islets are scattered across its entire surface. By the way, there is an interesting local legend about the appearance of this reservoir. It is said that the lake appeared thanks to the Druidic deity of Nuada named Ki, who was wounded during the mythological Second Battle of the village of Moytur, and hid in search of shelter to heal. After a short journey south, he saw a beautiful flowering valley, then lay down on the ground and fell fast asleep. Suddenly water from underground sources began to arrive rapidly and in a matter of minutes they covered both the green glade and the god who slept on it. A lake appeared here.
Gradually, people began to settle on some of its islets. Thus, according to the ancient written sources of the Annals of Loch Key, it is known that Castle Island was immediately occupied by two Irish clans McDermott and McGreevy. Soon a powerful castle grew here, which was first named "McGreey", but, as the chronicles say, then this family nest was named after the surname of the McDermott clan. Here you can read about the constant struggle and battles for the possession of the castle and the island, most likely the representatives of the McDermott family reclaimed the fortress. The same chronicle says that in 1184 this castle was engulfed in a powerful fire after a lightning strike and the structure - a fortress with serrated semicircular turrets - was almost completely burned out in the fire.
The next castle was built on the site of the one that burned down at the end of the twelfth century. It is said that in the Middle Ages, between two warring families McDermott and the McCostello clan, which settled on another island, there was a tragic episode, reminiscent of the story of "Romeo and Juliet". In the castle lived the daughter of the owner Una McDermott, who fell in love with the boyfriend Thomas McCostello, but when her parents found out about their relationship, they were forbidden to meet, and Una was sent by her parents to an uninhabited remote island of the lake. But the couple in love did not stop seeing each other secretly: every day Thomas swam across the lake from his island to a lonely island to see Una. But the girl's sad existence away from her family and in longing for her beloved did not last long, and she died. She was buried on Trinity Island, and Thomas continued to sail here to the grave of his beloved. Late autumn came, the water in the lake was already very cold, but the young man did not give up his venture with swimming until he fell ill with pneumonia and died. In a dying fever, he asked Una's father for the right to be buried next to his daughter, to be together, if not in this life, then in a better one. The father agreed, and two rose bushes were planted over the graves of the lovers, which soon intertwined, showing to all living the inviolability of love bonds even after death. Already quite strongly overgrown pink thickets and to this day tourists can see on the island of Trinity.
In an interesting poem dating from the fifteenth century, you can read about the local sorceress Heg Lok Klu, better known in the local lands as the "Old Woman of Loch Key", who found a way of a comfortable and well-fed existence: she imposed a vow on the owner of the island and the castle, Cormac McDermott eternal hospitality.
Historical documents further indicate that the McDermotts family lost this island and the castle on it in the seventeenth century, when the English protector Cromwell came to Ireland with his troops. Castle McDermott was taken over by the English crown. True, in the next century lightning struck the building and it once again burned out, leaving picturesque ruins as a reminder of itself. At the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century, a house-residence and a park for country recreation were built on the island for the English royal family, but this building was also burnt down during the Second World War.
As for the members of the McDermott family, they moved to the Rockingham estate nearby. This house was surrounded by a picturesque woodland and a park where there was beautiful lake... That part of the territory also fell into the possession of the Crown when the Lough Key recreation and entertainment park, which occupied eight hundred hectares of land, was built here. The old observation tower Moylurg, of the McDermott clan, also appeared on the territory of the park, just on the site of the house of this clan, which burned down in 1957, because it was one of its parts. Also, there is a stone throne-chair, many secret underground passages, labyrinths, entangling the area. There is an old dilapidated church here. Getting acquainted with the local park, tourists must reach the Trinity Bridge, built in 1836, and also look into the stone "Garden of God". The very same McDermott Castle is absolutely charming ruins and one of the most beautiful and romantic sights of Ireland.
McDermott Castle Island Address: Ireland, Lough Key, County Roscommon.
Menlo Castle
Ireland is the birthplace of numerous warlike clans, which in ancient times fought for power with swords in their hands, and in order to protect their families and supporters, they had to build powerful fortresses. But in their place, other families, no less thirsty for power, were always ready to stand, who sought to destroy the castles created by the previous feudal lords, to expand their former possessions, in order to strengthen their clan and dynasty. One such representative of the formidable and implacable clan is Sir Richard Caddell, who was one of the Knights of the Round Table under King Arthur, and for his unusually dark skin color was nicknamed "Black". He arrived on the Irish island during the first wave of Anglo-Norman migration in 1169, and in order to finally take root here, he married local girl Mirabella, who was the daughter of the local feudal lord Richard De Burke. Soon, Cadell became Sheriff of Connaught, and all his offspring later occupied the highest positions. Cadell decided to build his family estate and his castle in Menlo, near the city of Galway and the Corrib River. In the city of Galway, there were fourteen large and influential families who were in charge of all the affairs of the region, and, naturally, their representatives became related to each other through marriages, over the centuries becoming almost a single clan.
In the sixteenth century, the Menlo castle, after modifications and reconstructions, became a powerful fortress-city with fourteen ramparts, gates, streets. The city of Galway itself flourished, engaging in extensive trade with other countries. Due to the unusually strategically advantageous location of the castle on the banks of the river, in the middle of the seventeenth century, troops under the command of Cromwell tried to capture the castle of Menlo, but, fortunately, they soon lifted the siege and left, and the civilians did not suffer.
In the Irish history of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, one of the representatives of the family, the mystical Sir Valentine Black, was very vividly captured, to whom people gave the nickname - "Master Menlo", and spoke of him as the Irish "Bluebeard", because the wives of this man : Mary Martin, Ellinor Lynch, - died suddenly from unexplained reasons. Soon, there were no people left wishing to marry the strange owner of Menlo Castle. And only seven years later Mary French agreed to marry him. In general, Sir Valentine was a rather respectable gentleman, he worked as a surgeon. But it was only a beautiful facade, because everything looked different inside the castle walls. They say that he had a very difficult relationship with his father, who adhered to the Catholic faith, and to hide this Sir Valentine in the last years of his father's life did not release him to people, saying that he had become feeble-minded. While dying, his father bequeathed to bury himself according to the Catholic canons, but the son did exactly the opposite: he arranged a funeral according to Protestant rites, and when the inhabitants of Galway and Menlo came to the farewell ceremony for the deceased, he publicly declared that his father was crazy, then the townspeople, who knew him as a very kind and sane person, left the funeral, and a big scandal immediately erupted. In the course of these proceedings and scandals, the tombstone was installed not at the head of the deceased, but at the feet. This was not corrected in the future, and as the locals say, it became a trigger for the tragic events that happened next and the revenge of the offended soul of the late father.
It must be said that Sir Valentine had only three children: two of his already grown sons died, the youngest daughter got married and moved to another city, with her father only the youngest crippled daughter Miss Helene, suffering from rheumatism and practically unable to move independently, remained with her father. The father often insulted his daughter, breaking down on her for all his failures in life. And she gradually fell ill with a mental illness, then they began to lock her in a room, not letting people out. Two maids, Anna and Delia, were assigned to the unfortunate girl to help her if necessary. On June 26, 1910, Sir Valentine and his wife went to spend the night in Dublin, and at five o'clock in the morning his daughter's room was engulfed in fire. The coachman Kirvan, who lived in a room on the second floor, heard the desperate cries of the maids, but he could not get out the stairs to the master's daughter's apartment, because everything was already on fire, then he went down the walls, entwined with ivy, along the outer wall, getting out of his window rooms. He ran around the castle to understand how the building was engulfed in flames and with horror realized that the entire part overlooking the river was on fire. Suddenly he saw on the roof two figures of maids who were rushing about, asking for help. Local residents had already come running to the castle, who brought the stairs, but it did not reach the roof, the clothes on the girls had already begun to smolder, then bales of straw were piled below, they were ordered to jump down. Delia jumped first, but she landed next to the straw and immediately crashed to her death. Anna hit the straw and landed on her feet, she was alive, but in poor condition, so the girl was urgently sent to the hospital. Her further fate is unknown.
When Sir Valentine returned from Dublin, the news struck him on the spot, he fell ill and fell seriously ill. Several days passed and the "Master Menlo" died, what is most surprising is that the tombstone on his grave was also installed the other way around, like his father's. What was it: a coincidence or revenge of local residents for disrespecting their father? - now no one can answer for sure. It was rumored that the fire happened as a heavenly punishment for the mysterious deaths of the wives of "Bluebeard", for the disregard for the will of the father and the bad attitude towards the unfortunate daughter.
Today, absolutely picturesque ruins, covered with a cushion of green ivy, remain from the castle; tourists are sure to come here to look at this romantic attraction next to the river. Many locals arrange picnics here, although they say that it is better to leave this place before dark, because on the ruins you can see strange ethereal shadows mourning their fate. Maybe one of them is the ghost of Sir Valentine's daughter Ellen, who was never buried due to the fact that her corpse was never found, and the other two are his spouses, who are said to have been killed by an insidious husband at Menlo Castle. Be that as it may, this place is full of mystery and mystical charm and is definitely worth a visit when in Ireland.
Enniskillen Castle
Beautiful and stately, moreover, the well-preserved Irish castle of Enniskillen stands in County Fermanach on the banks of the Erne River. It was built by the chief of the Gaelic clan, Hugh Maguire, in order to control the neighboring territories of the northwest, and to protect representatives of its kind from the attacks of warlike neighbors. The powerful walls of the first structure - the square tower - held up the defenses quite well, and this reliability made Enniskillen castle the center of strength and power in Fermanagh. Scientists to this day cannot accurately determine the date of the construction of the castle, they can only judge that in the first written sources dated 1439, it is already mentioned as a formidable stronghold and a reliable citadel. The builder of this castle and the ancestor of the clan died in 1428. The next leader, about whom researchers are absolutely certain, was a representative of the same clan from Enniskillen - Sean Maguire, elected in 1484. During the centuries of its existence, the castle was improved and strengthened, its appearance changed. This was caused by the urgent need to keep an endless defense, because the castle was strategically important place and for him there was always a confrontation. That is why the leaders of the clan constantly had to come up with new ways to protect and strengthen the fortress walls. The county was regularly attacked by enemy attacks, and Enniskillen Castle could not be on the sidelines. He especially suffered during the period of the Irish Wars, when the local population heroically resisted the seizure of their territories by the British. It is known that they managed to capture this fortress after a week's siege in 1594. The castle suffered no less from the intrigues of politicians that reigned in a circle, thus it was unwittingly drawn into a prolonged nine-year war from the end of the sixteenth century.
Since 1607, the chieftain of the clan by the name of Kuhonnakt was expelled from Ireland for treason, and his possessions, including the castle of Enniskillen and the lands of the English conquerors, were given to the city constable Sir William Cole. The new owner began to rebuild the castle to his liking. He erected the Watergate structure, which was completed on both sides by round towers. Now it is not reliably known why this building was erected, but presumably there was a drawbridge that has not survived to this day, that is, the structure was a powerful gate. Other researchers say that most likely it was not a bridge, but a tower for defense. Whatever it was, and today Watergate, with the flag towering over it with the image of St. George, is the symbol of this Irish county.
Soon Ireland became a military base for the Kingdom of Spain, as a result the castle was enlarged in size to accommodate more soldiers' barracks, as well as an arsenal of weapons. From the nineteenth century the fortress was conquered by the British and from there they resisted the advance of the French. The castle was equipped with modern defensive structures at that time, including watchtowers, stronger walls, and additional barracks and stables for their horses were erected for the large garrison of the British. The military stood here until 1950.
Today, Enniskillen Castle is a popular museum in Ireland, where you can learn about the history of County Fermanagh, about old town Enniskillen, on the military affairs of this country. In addition, there is the Royal Riflemen's Museum, the Inniskilling Regimental Museum. In the castle-museum, tourists can see interesting household items, clothes and furniture that belonged to people who once lived in this castle. The collections of Irish lace, ceramics, weapons and military uniforms are very interesting.
Enniskillen Castle can be visited:
- From May to June, in September - Monday, Saturday - from 2 pm to 5 pm; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening. Sunday is a day off.
- From July to August - Monday, Saturday, Sunday - from 2 pm to 5 pm; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening.
- From October to April - Monday from 2 pm to 5 pm; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening; Saturday and Sunday are days off. Adult ticket - four euros; for children, students, pensioners - three euros.
Enniskillen Castle address: city of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.
King John's Castle
This ancient castle of the thirteenth century stands in the city of Limerick on the territory of the "Royal Island". The building was built for King John Lackland in the middle of an islet created by the natural bends of the Shannon and Abbey rivers. The castle replaced the flimsy earth mounds that once served to protect the local population. Of course, initially the structure changed over time, it increased in size, improved in terms of fortifications. It wasn't long before the Limerick Royal Castle became the most impregnable fortress Englishmen in the west of Ireland. Despite this, in 1642 this marvelous example of Norman fortification was ravaged during the capture of Ireland by Cromwell and his forces. Not far from the castle, if you go to the other side of the river across the Thomond Bridge, there is a monument in the form of a stone, reminding descendants that the Peace of Limerick was signed here during the battle between two kings, which took place from 1690 to 1961.
Today, the Castle of King John Lackland has become a museum. The fact is that some time ago they wanted to open an informational tourist centre, but when they began to dig the ground for some buildings, they found that here, under the soil, there are well-preserved Viking houses, their household items, ornaments. Weapons from the times of antiquity were discovered in the form of rams and catapults, the remains of people who died during the capture of Limerick by Cromwell, military barracks. That is why it was decided to open a museum at this castle so that tourists can get acquainted with the history of the city of Limerick and the whole of Ireland, see the reconstructed Viking dwellings, medieval castle fortifications.
The exposition of the castle is divided into several zones: archaeological - these are excavations carried out under open air; underground - already excavated historical architectural objects - ruins and fragments of premises, dwellings, fortress walls. In the information center, visitors can see a model of the city of Limerick and its castle, exactly at the time of their heyday. Another major area is myself the Royal Castle, with its large yard and observation towers as well as a fortress wall.
The entrance ticket price is nine euros. The castle is open daily from ten in the morning to five in the evening. Days off: December twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth.
The address of the castle of King John Lackland: Ireland, County Limerick, city of Limerick, St. Nicholas Street.
Belfast Castle
Very beautiful, as if descended from the page of fairy tales, the castle stands on a hill above the city of Belfast, being its most popular symbol. Belfast Castle is surrounded by beautifully manicured Cavehill Park.
The first wooden castle was built by the Norman knight John de Courcy at the end of the twelfth century after the capture of the kingdom of Ulster, which existed in these lands. But the Normans were not the first to notice these places, because on the slopes of the Cave Hill, dug with caves, people began to settle in the Bronze Age. To this day, scientists have discovered buildings there that are several thousand years old. The ancient cities and dwellings of the Celts fell into ruins long ago when the British and Normans came to Ireland. Returning to the history of the original fortress, it did not stand for a long time, because it burned out in a fire, but tourists can see its model in the castle museum. After the loss of the fortress, the British decided that it would be safer to build a stone castle, but it also stood no more than a century and also burned out in a fire, and in honor of that building, a street remained, the name of which can be translated as: "Location of the castle." Four centuries passed, when the third stone-wooden castle was built here, it also stood for a century when the enemies of its owner Sir Arthur Chichester burned the building.
The majestic Belfast Castle in its current version was built already in 1870 under the Marquis of Donegal. So much money was spent on the lavish mansion and on its opulent interior décor that the family almost went broke. The Marquis decided to stop with the final finishing of Belfast Castle, and after his death, the heirs sold the unfinished structure to the Shaftesberry family. The Earl of Shaftesberry and his wife, the Marquise Harriet Augusta, were able to bring to mind this fairytale castle, which was inherited in 1894 by their descendant, who was later elected to the post of Mayor of Dublin. In 1934, the Shaftesberry family donated the Belfast castle to the city, and the local authorities began to carry out restoration work in it since 1978.
The six-story Belfast Castle is famous for its stunning garden with a central fountain. Walking along the well-groomed paths, tourists can admire the dizzying panoramas of the Belfast Bay and marine species... Today, Belfast Castle is supported by tourists, and also hosts various celebrations, weddings, banquets, and so on. The castle has its own souvenir shop and an excellent small restaurant.
It is worth saying that a very important topic associated with Belfast Castle is the white cat. There is a legend that the white cat is the guardian and guardian of the aristocratic Donegal family, who once owned the castle, and as long as such a white cat lives in the castle garden, not only this family, but the fortress itself will be in order. While Donegal lived in Belfast Castle, there were always plump white cats running around. In addition, nine images of cats were taken in the garden, which connect the entire territory of the garden together. The guides say that if a tourist manages to find all nine images of cats, without prompting, because some of them are not immediately visible, then you can make a wish that will come true. In general, for Ireland, a white cat is considered a mystical sacred animal that can bring a person money, happiness in the family and success in business. These beliefs of the Irish are associated with their Celtic roots.
Another local souvenir theme, besides the white cat, is the legendary Titanic, which was manufactured at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast in 1911. Entry to Belfast Castle and Gardens is completely free.
