Castles In Ireland

by Rhiannon Batten

Ashford Castle

County Mayo

This 13th-century castle is set by scenic Lough Corrib, Ireland’s second-largest lake. Once the estate of Lord Ardilaun and the Guinness family, Ashford Castle opened as a hotel in 1939. It has become a favourite with a surprising spectrum of celebrities; former guests include Christina Ricci and Terry Wogan. Besides its comfortable, characterful rooms, there are several bars and restaurants within the grounds. The latest of these is a new gastropub, Cullens at the Cottage, just across the River Cong.

Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo (00 353 94 954 6003; www.ashford. ie). Doubles from [euro]225 ([pound]161 room only.

Waterford Castle

County Waterford

Around three hours from Dublin, Waterford is one of Ireland’s smaller castle hotels, with only 19 rooms. It’s also one of the newest. The private island on which it stands served as the FitzGerald family seat, a fruit and flower business and a pedigree dairy farm before the castle opened as ideala hotel in 1988. The discreet retreat, it features a restaurant, 18-hole golf course and a huge log fire in the entrance hall. If you’re in the market for souvenirs, it’s also handily close to the Waterford Crystal factory.

Waterford Castle, The Island, Ballinakill, Waterford (00 353 51 878 203; www.waterfordcastlecom). Doubles start at [euro]160 ([pound]114).

Dromoland Castle

County Clare

This was recently voted one of the best hotels in Ireland by the readers of America’s Travel + Leisure magazine. The castle at the centre of this 375-acre estate was built in the 16th century but overhauled at the beginning of the 19th century. It has been operating as a hotel since 1962. While resolutely traditional, its heritage hasn’t put paid to some very contemporary amenities. Besides hunting, fishing and golf, guests can try treatments ranging from reiki to reflexology at the castle’s spa.

Dromoland Castle, Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare (0800 056 7434; www.dromoland.ie). Doubles start at [euro]232 ([pound]166) room only.

Glin Castle

County Limerick

More like a grand country house than a castle, Glin has just 15 bedrooms. You can either check in on a hotel basis or rent the whole place, fully staffed. Officially, the castle is open only between March and November, but you can sometimes book for the winter months. Set within a 500-acre estate, the castle stands on the banks of the river Shannon. It is known for its food: fish is caught nearby, beef and lamb locally reared and many of the vegetables and fruit that are served are grown in the castle’s organic walled garden.

Glin Castle, Glin, County Limerick (00 353 68 34173; www.glincastlecom). Doubles from [euro]310 ([pound]221) room only.

Castle Leslie

County Monaghan

This is an excellent bet if you prefer quirky to stuffy. Rooms come with a detailed description of their heritage. According to a rather fanciful history, the family traces its lineage back to Attila the Hun via several eccentrics - including one Lady Constance who, unable to bear the sight of her husband, designed an enormous table ornament to hide him from her view at dinner. The rooms include a converted nursery, complete with en suite bathroom tucked - Alice in Wonderland-style - into a life-size dolls’ house. It also has a cookery school and equestrian centre.

Castle Leslie, Glaslough, County Monaghan (00 353 47 88100; www.castlelesliecom). Doubles start at [euro]110 ([pound]79) including breakfast and dinner.

Copyright 2006 Independent Newspapers UK Limited
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

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by Sheila Flynn

DUBLIN, Ireland — The image of majestic stone castles rising from rolling green fields is a romantic one, a fantasy held by many travelers who dream of Ireland.

But that image is a reality all over the island nation — where castles offer such differing charms and features that visitors can tailor castle stays to their own whims and preferences. Luxury accommodation, resident ghosts, medieval banquets and horseback riding –all of these can be found amid the smattering of Irish castles. And regardless of each castle’s location, striking views and sightseeing opportunities are never far away.

“There is pretty much everything that you could want — literally everything from a tiny love nest to a huge stately pile; everything from the point of view of price, from the point of view of location,” said John Colclough, one of the luxury travel specialists at Adams & Butler in Dublin, which books castle stays. “You can have them on the seaside, you can have them in the middle of the mountains.”

For top-tier service and extravagant lodging, Ashford Castle in County Mayo and Dromoland Castle in County Clare rank among the finest hotels in the country. Both have played host to myriad high- profile events, including James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan’s wedding at Ashford and the 2004 European Union-U.S. summit at Dromoland. Each five-star property sits in the picturesque West of Ireland, and Dromoland’s 400-acre estate is only eight miles from Shannon Airport — allowing guests to enjoy pampering, golf and woodland wanders less than half an hour after landing.

Ashford Castle is a longer drive at two hours, but the route leads visitors on a winding tour of the breathtaking West before concluding in Cong, Mayo– a lush rural bastion of rolling hills and lakes where “The Quiet Man” was filmed.

Befitting five-star establishments, the castles offer all that visitors would expect from luxury hotels — fine dining, gorgeously appointed rooms, expansive golf courses and a range of specialty pursuits like falconry.

But you can also find castle stays at more economical prices. Belleek Castle, in County Mayo, offers single rooms from just $118 a night and double rooms from $183. Nestled at the end of an extraordinary tree-lined drive, the 15th century structure boasts rooms that are stately yet not decadent. Belleek’s grounds cover 1,000 forested, river-cut acres dotted with trails and bridges; visitors can tire themselves out strolling the grounds before returning to the castle’s enormous heavy doors, walking past the massive front hall fireplace and sitting down to a hearty meal in the elegant wood-decorated dining room. Guests can also make private appointments to view the castle museum, which displays everything from fossils to 16th century armor in its vaults.

Renting out an entire castle is also more affordable than you might expect. Colclough pointed out that certain small castles, encompassing only about three bedrooms, can be rented for $1,575 a week. Knappogue Castle, a five-bedroom medieval structure, can be rented in County Clare for $6,825 a week. The castle is a short drive from Shannon Airport and close to attractions such as the Cliffs of Moher. It stages a nightly medieval banquet, open to the public, with storytelling and medieval music, during the high season of April through October.

There are, of course, other castles that can be rented at exorbitant rates. Humewood Castle in County Wicklow, for example, boasts 16 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms — at a price that reaches $99,000 per week. The gray spires and buttresses of Humewood rise from among the Wicklow Mountains just over an hour outside of Dublin, and the rental includes staff to take care of breakfast and daily cleaning.

Some castles claim to be haunted. Castle Leslie, in County Monaghan, has been in the Leslie family for generations — and deceased members of the clan have allegedly turned up on more than one occasion. Leap Castle, in County Offaly, bills itself as the most haunted castle in Ireland.

Sean Ryan, who lives at Leap Castle with two family members, says they hear footsteps, doors creaking and the like, and that one of the other-worldly entities likes to poke people. But he says they’ve “never felt threatened by any of it at all. It’s all quite friendly.” The Ryans offer tours to visitors.

Bunratty Castle, in County Clare, features a folk park recreating 19th century Victorian Ireland and a banquet like that at Knappogue. Visitors must have a stomach for medieval kitsch, but the feast at Bunratty is amusing, tasty and easily chalked up to a vacationing guilty pleasure.

And if visitors are determined to hit Ireland’s top tourist attractions, Blarney Castle is a must-see. Here lies the legendary Blarney Stone, famed for its ability to bestow the gift of eloquence. Travelers should prepare for long lines at the County Cork landmark, as well as a precipitous, sharp-angled lean to reach the stone — which can only be kissed by bending over backward on the top of the castle, held up by Blarney staff. Yet regardless of the risk and cringe factor, most tourists — especially Americans — wouldn’t dream of visiting Ireland without a pilgrimage to the gift- of-the-gab attraction.

But whether you choose a luxury castle or go for the kitschy stuff, all of them offer Ireland’s beautiful scenery and a warm welcome.

“The actual experience of somebody coming to stay in an Irish castle is not just the bed and the view and everything else,” said Colclough. “It’s the local people, and that really is what makes the holiday memorable.”

Copyright C 2007 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

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By Saidul A Shaari

Reported built over 600 hundred years ago by Cormac MacCarthy, a legendary Irish nobleman. So far, millions of people have made pilgrimage to Blarney Castle and eventually made Blarney one of the world’s top historical landmark and of course, one of many Irish wealthy tourism hot spot. It is situated in Blarney Village, a few kilometers from the city of Cork, south of Ireland.

There is something darn right peculiar there that amazingly has made millions in indirect takings from tourists in and out of Ireland. Tourists flocked the Blarney Castle to see for themselves the over rated stone of Blarney or the legendary Stone of Eloquence. Believe it or not, there is a belief here that kissing this so called legendary Stone of Eloquence would give kissers and pucker ups the gift of eloquence! Power of persuasion? Kissing the stone is free but you do have to pay to gain entry into Blarney Castle. If you ask any of the local Irish, none of them are really quite sure about the history of this kissing practice. Heck, they are not sure of the history of the Blarney Stone themselves! There have been a few versions though. The most famous is that it is once used as a pillow by Jacob and brought to Ireland by Jeremiah. The other version linked the stone with Moses. This version claims that it is the stone that gushed water after being struck by Moses. Oh whatever..

If you are planning of visiting Castle Blarney strictly for the purpose of testing your French kissing skills with the Blarney Stone, our good advice is to just forget it. On weekends, the queues of aspiring kissers are just unbelievable and you would only be wasting your time there. Besides, do you really want to climb 108 steps up the Blarney Castle simply for the sake of kissing one slab of stone? Exactly. There are better things to see and you can do over in Blarney Castle. Just beneath the tower house, you can see for yourself a true historical dungeon. Outside the walls of the Blarney Castle are picturesque view of the whole Blarney Castle vast estate and there are a few magnificent flower gardens where you can have a quite picnic away from the crowd. Plan and spend your time wisely and you should be able to see and enjoy everything about Blarney Castle within a day. Get a local Irish guide to help you in your visit and do not simply follow the crowd!

Saidul A Shaari is the principal and founder of Sahabatul Ventures Holy CoW!, specializing in providing non-biased reviews on many wonderful places in the world today. An enterprising business individual who turn half ideas into real money making opportunities. Loves traveling all over the world and would very much like to share his thoughts and experiences with anyone on the globe!

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By Colm B Brady

This massive castle is probably the finest example of an Anglo / Norman castle in Ireland. The vast size of the castle combined with its impress state of its condition despite dating from 1196. The castle is situated in the town of Trim in County Meath and as you approach Trim from the Dublin size, it dominates the skyline and it comes as no surprise that it is the largest remains of a castle in Europe.

The castle has a total of 23 corners. The castle was mainly built by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter de Lacy. The castle is three storeys high and is designed in the layout of a cruciform and is unique because of this factor. The castle was built in three stages.

The recent history of the castle has a Hollywood feel to it as the castle featured extensively in the film Brave Hearth which was directed and starred Mel Gibson as William Wallace who was a Scottish man who successfully stood in opposition to the throne of England and its power over Scotland. William Wallace is successful in uniting the Scottish in battle during the 13th Century as they attempt to overthrow English rule.

Trim Castle sits on the banks of the River Boyne which although situated over 40km from the Irish Sea, was accessible by boats during Medieval times. There has been recent controversy surrounding the castle as the construction for a five storey hotel situated beside the castle was approved by Martin Cullen, the then Irish Environment Minister.

Colm Brady is Director of Business Development for Thrifty Car Rental Ireland and has worked with Thrifty since 2000. Colm is continually developing the companies business through both the traditional and online channels. Among the websites that are currently under the Thrifty Umbrella are: Thrifty Car Rental Ireland, Dollar Car Rental Ieland and Malone Car Hire Ireland

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By Rose Mary

The Blarney Castle, with its battlemented keep and ruined towers, situated 5 miles north of Cork, Ireland, is the most visited castle. This castle was erected in 1446 by Dermot McCarthy, who was the local lord at that time. Apart from the grandeur of this castle sitting on the gracious parkland, the focal point of the castle is the legendary Blarney Stone. Many people from all over the world flock to see this legendary stone. Legend has it that by kissing the stone, this gesture will confer a magical eloquence.

The Blarney Stone is located in the wall below the castle battlements. In order to reach the stone, you need to climb 127 steps to the top of the battlement keep. It is not easy task to kiss the stone. In order to kiss the stone, your hands have to grab hold of the vertical iron rails and someone has to hold you by your feet. You will be suspended backward under the parapet. At this awkward position, you can then kiss the stone. Even though it is not easy to kiss the stone, many people have flocked to this place to do it in order to try its efficacy.

The tradition is said to have originated from a comment made by Queen Elizabeth I of England. Lord Dermot McCarthy had attempted to overwhelm her with his non-stop chatter and verbosity in order to prevent her from taking his estate. The Queen is said to have despaired and made a comment which was believed to have started the tradition. The word “blarney” means cajoling talk or flattery.

Today, little remains of the castle except the keep. Its design and style is typical of a 15th century tower house. Tower houses are small castles or fortified residences built between the 15th and 17th centuries. You can enjoy some walks at the castle grounds and view yew trees and limestone rock formations.

You can choose to have a drink or do some shopping at a village nearby which is only a short walk from the castle. In the village, there are a number of crafts shops and some pubs. You can also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills which sells quality garments and souvenirs.

Blarney Castle is indeed a wonderful place to visit. If you are keen to take a vacation trip and looks forward to some adventure and excitement, you can consider visiting the Blarney Castle. When you are there, perhaps, you would want to kiss the Blarney Stone and prove its efficacy? More information can be found at the Travel Europe.

Rose Mary
Freelance Writer on Various Interest Topics.
For more information on travel, please refer to the Travel Europe

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By Colm Brady

When you come to Ireland you will want to be sure to pack appropriately. Depending on where you live, you may find that the weather in Ireland is much different than what you are used to; it may even be necessary to invest in certain protective gear that is not a normal part of your wardrobe! Ireland, for the most part, has a lovely and temperate climate but there can be inclement weather as well, and when you are travelling, particularly if you plan to be away from shelter for an extended period of time, it is best to be prepared for everything.

You will find that for the large part Ireland’s climate is temperate. The weather is damp and cool for the better part of the calendar year, with the west coast of Ireland seeing the greatest portion of the annual rainfall. If you prefer to visit during a slightly warmer, drier time of year, you may want to plan your trip for the summer months. Between May and September you will find things warm up a bit, but you should know that July and August see Ireland at its most crowded, since most tourists choose to visit Ireland at its most hospitable!

If you do want to experience a bit of Ireland’s less cheery side, give it a try during the winter. The winter days in Ireland are usually short and damp with considerable fog cover, but those visiting from colder climates will be pleasantly surprised to learn that temperatures rarely dip below the freezing mark, since the west coast of Ireland is swept by Gulf Stream winds. However, it is important to note that many of Ireland’s premier tourist attractions are only open in the summer months, so this may have an impact on your decision of when to visit.

Colm Brady is Director of Business Development for Thrifty Car Rental Ireland and has worked with Thrifty since 2000. Colm is continually developing the companies business through both the traditional and online channels. Among the websites that are currently under the Thrifty Umbrella are: Ireland Information, and General Information About Ireland. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colm_Brady

By Seth Miller

The land of Ireland combines mystic character and historical makeup. Ireland is a magnificent landscape compassing the beauty of nature, art and history in its richest forms. The tangible history and lovely native people with the faith in humanity and music are the backbone of Irish culture.

Ireland?s beauty makes it a wonderful traveling spot. Many people even travel to Ireland every year, because they become so in love with the countryside and the friendly culture. That is understandable; it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The perfect time to visit is in July or August, which enjoy reasonably warm weather with long sunny days and short nights. The weather is so pleasant and nice that your vacation is sure to be enjoyable. Summer is the peak season to visit this splendid place.

Spring and autumn are also quite popular month for tourists; however, winter is generally cold and unwelcoming. Religion, tradition and history being the backbone of Ireland, the country is full of historical sites, from Neolithic stone circles to ancient churches, castles, forts, museums and mansions. It also has exquisite gardens and parks, which are luminous green with luxuriant flowers gives your eyes a soothing taste of environmental beauty. From rocky cliffs and formidable mountain tops, to broad stretches of sandy beaches and blue sea, from busy cities to calm villages, and from conventional old world customs to contemporary new lifestyles, Ireland has something for everyone. All this and more makes Ireland a dream destination.

Ireland Travel provides detailed information on Ireland Travel, Ireland Budget Travel, Ireland Travel Deals, Ireland Travel Packages and more. Ireland Travel is affiliated with Very Last Minute Travel Deals.

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