Medieval Ashford Castle. Castles of Ireland. How to get to the castle grounds

December 30th, 2014

Ireland is considered one of the record holders for the number of medieval castles on its territory. Unfortunately, few once majestic structures have been “saved” from the destructive forces of time. Today there are thousands of ruins of ancient castles here. It is worth noting that even in their destroyed form they are of enormous historical value and are the pride of the country. Castles that have survived to this day serve as popular tourist attractions. Some of them have been restored and converted into hotels or museums. So every wealthy traveler has the opportunity to stay in one of the ancient castles and feel the spirit of the past.

In Ireland, such a “highlight” is the medieval palaces and castles, which are located in large numbers throughout its territory. And one of these castles is Ashford Castle.

Let's find out more about him...

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Ashford Castle is located on the banks of Lough Corrib and the River Cong, near the village of Cong on the border of counties Mayo and Galway (western Ireland). Nowadays the castle is one of the best hotels in the country and at the same time an independent attraction.

Ashford Castle was founded in 1228 by representatives of the Anglo-Norman family de Burgh (later de Burke), who lived in Ireland from the end of the 12th century. The founder of the dynasty was William de Burgh, who, through bloody military campaigns, conquered the Irish kingdom of Connacht and in 1203 defeated its rulers, the O'Connors. William de Burgh soon died “of a strange disease too shameful to name”, and his children began building the castle. Ashford remained their main stronghold in this wild and unpredictable territory for the next 300 years.

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From the reign of the O'Connors - a powerful dynasty, one of the branches of which exists to this day - 700 meters from the castle there are the ruins of the magnificent Cong Abbey, where Roderick O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, lived and died. It used to be home to the greatest religion of the Irish kings - the Cross of Kong, which is now kept in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. For over 350 years, Ashford Castle belonged to the de Burgh family, whose representatives by that time already considered themselves completely native Irish, not wanting to recognize the power of the English crown.

In the second half of the 16th century. The head of the dynasty was Richard Bourke, nicknamed Iron Richard, warlike and restless, recognized as the autonomous leader of the clan even by the English crown. In 1583 he died and was replaced by the widow, the "pirate queen" Granual, and their 17-year-old son Theobald, nicknamed Tibbot the Ship.

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In 1584, Sir Richard Bingham was appointed governor of the province of Connacht. Soon a general uprising began in Connacht, in which de Burki were active participants. Bingham hanged several members of the de Bourke family and razed more than one family castle to the ground, not skimping on fines and confiscation of property. In 1585, Theobald Bourke was taken hostage as a guarantee that his mother would comply with the terms of the Treaty of Connacht, which ordered the heads of the Irish clans to renounce traditional rights and privileges and formally cede their lands to the English crown. While in prison, Theobald learned English. Soon Bingham released him and Theobald joined the uprising.

After violent clashes between the de Bourkes and Bingham's forces in 1587, the parties concluded a truce. But the calm did not last long, although it ended in the defeat of the rebels. Bingham took possession of Ashford Castle in 1589 and built a separate fortified enclave on its grounds. In 1596, the queen, tired of reports of Bingham's cruelties and his inability to cope with the unrest, recalled him from Ireland, but two years later he was sent again to the Green Island to suppress a rebellion led by Hugh O'Neill.

Photo 5.

In 1715, the Ashford estate became the property of the family of Baron Oranmore Brown, and the medieval fortifications were complemented by an elegant palace in the style of a 17th-century French chateau.

In 1852, the estate was purchased by Irish businessman and philanthropist Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, grandson of the founder of the Guinness brewery. After the death of his father, Sir Benjamin became the richest man in Ireland, established an active export trade and constantly expanded his business. In addition, Guinness was interested in archeology and did a lot to preserve ancient monuments of Irish heritage, including in County Galway. He enlarged the estate, built new roads, planted thousands of trees and added two large Victorian wings to the mansion.

In 1867, an image of the renovated castle appeared in the local history book “Lough Corrib” by the famous Irish surgeon and author of books on the history and archeology of Ireland Sir William Wilde, the father of the famous writer. Sir William wrote: “The following illustration... shows the steamer Eglington passing Ashford Manor, the stately residence of Sir B. L. Guinness, M.P., with its tower rising above the surrounding woods.”

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In 1868, after the death of Sir Benjamin, the estate passed to his son Arthur Edward Guinness, who, like his father, was a businessman, politician and philanthropist. In 1880, Queen Victoria granted him the title Lord Ardilon (the name of the title was derived from the Gaelic phrase meaning “high island in the lake”).

Lord Ardilon lived at Ashford for most of the year and invested considerable resources in the development of the estate and the maintenance of the castle. As an avid amateur gardener, Lord Ardilon took a special interest in the development of vast woodlands. In addition, with the help of the architect James Fuller, he completely rebuilt the entire western wing of the castle. The generous baron also sponsored a number of steamships, including the Lady Eglington, which sailed between the villages that grew up on the shores of Lough Corribah and Galway city. This opened up new opportunities for trade development in the region.

From Lord Ardilon the castle passed to his nephew Ernest Guinness. After the death of the latter, from 1915 the castle was managed by the family foundation Iveagh Trust, which in 1939 sold the estate to Noel Haggard, who came from a family of Irish entrepreneurs in the hotel business. The new owner opened a first-class hotel here, which became particularly famous for offering traditional local activities such as hunting and fishing (Lough Corrib turned out to be the best place for trout and salmon fishing in Europe).

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In 1970, the castle was purchased by American multimillionaire John Mulcahy. He often stayed at Noel Haggard's hotel with his retinue of secretaries and assistants. He liked it here so much that he eventually decided to buy Ashford. Mulcahy carried out extensive restoration, almost doubling the size of the building, renovating the old gardens and lawns and creating a magnificent golf course with stunning views of Lough Corrib.

Mulcahy's dream was to turn Ashford into the best hotel in the world, and he succeeded in this thanks to the talented manager Rory Murphy. In 1975, Ashford was named the best hotel in Britain and Ireland by the authoritative hotel guide Egon Ronay. This is the first time an Irish hotel has received such a high title. “That was the defining moment,” Murphy said. “They started writing so much about us in the press that guests started pouring in.”

In 1985, Ashford Castle was bought by a group of 64 investors, led by former American Ambassador to Ireland Walter Curley and Irish-American businessman and philanthropist Charles Feeney. Rory Murphy remained as manager and only retired in 2002. In 2007, a consortium of investors sold the hotel for €50 million to Irish businessman Gerry Barrett, who by that time already owned several hotels in County Galway.

Photo 9.

Today, the Ashford Castle Hotel is a majestic structure with many crenellated towers, parapets, galleries, lancet windows, massive fireplaces, cellars and secret passages. The landscape is complemented by a bridge over the Cong River leading to the castle with two massive fairy-tale towers. The interiors of the castle are no less impressive. It offers guests 85 superbly decorated rooms and several beautiful halls, furnished with expensive furniture, decorated with exquisite wood carvings and valuable works of art. The design of each room is unique.

A special attraction of Ashford is its excellent cuisine. The restaurant in the George V Hall is open all year round and is headed by Stefan Matz, Ireland's Best Chef 2010 according to the Ireland Good Eating Guide. In this luxurious room for 150 people with excellent views of the lake and river you can taste the masterpieces of Irish and international cuisine.

During the summer there is also a restaurant in the Connacht Hall, serving classic French dishes. The same Matz is in charge of the kitchen. This room is more comfortable and can accommodate 48 people. Its beautiful wood carvings and fantastic fireplace make it one of the finest in the castle.

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After lunch, you can have a glass in the cocktail bar named after the Prince of Wales, which was created at the end of the 19th century. specially for the visit of the future King George V. This room, with its oak paneling and the Guinness family crest hanging over the fireplace, has a particularly warm atmosphere. There is also the more informal Dungeon Bar, which regularly features renowned singers and harpists performing traditional Irish tunes. Other rooms in the castle include the elegant drawing room, where traditional tea and sweets are served, and the magnificent Oak Entrance Hall, decorated with art from various eras.

Photo 11.

Ashford is especially proud of its first falconry school in Ireland. A private breeding center for birds of prey is located right on the castle grounds, on the shores of Lough Corrib. This is a rare opportunity for tourists to learn how to tame the desert buzzard, owl and falcon. As well as falconry training, the castle offers guests a variety of other activities including trout and salmon fishing, long woodland walks, horse riding lessons and cruises on the Lady Ardilon ferry on Lough Corrib - one of the largest, clearest and picturesque in the country. The castle grounds have everything you need for sports: excellent tennis and golf courts and even a skeet shooting range. Ashford often hosts special events, such as wine tasting week or seafood week. The hotel has a modern wellness center with a sauna, jacuzzi, gym and a full range of spa treatments.

Lovers of silence can retire to the beautiful gardens: the castle is surrounded by landscaped grounds with many trees, flower beds, lawns and walking alleys, laid out in the era of Sir Benjamin Guinness. One of the paths leads to a wooden chalet built by Lord Ardilon for his wife Olivia.

Exotic lovers will be offered helicopter excursions over the castle, Galway city, the Cliffs of Moher and the Connemara region - one of the most beautiful regions of Ireland.

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Ireland is considered one of the record holders for the number of medieval castles on its territory. Unfortunately, few once majestic structures have been “saved” from the destructive forces of time. Today there are thousands of ruins of ancient castles here. It is worth noting that even in their destroyed form they are of enormous historical value and are the pride of the country. Castles that have survived to this day serve as popular tourist attractions. Some of them have been restored and converted into hotels or museums. So every wealthy traveler has the opportunity to stay in one of the ancient castles and feel the spirit of the past.

In Ireland, such a “highlight” is the medieval palaces and castles, which are located in large numbers throughout its territory. And one of these castles is Ashford Castle.

Ashford Castle is located on the banks of Lough Corrib and the River Cong, near the village of Cong on the border of counties Mayo and Galway (western Ireland). Nowadays the castle is one of the best hotels in the country and at the same time an independent attraction.

Ashford Castle was founded in 1228 by representatives of the Anglo-Norman family de Burgh (later de Burke), who lived in Ireland from the end of the 12th century. The founder of the dynasty was William de Burgh, who, through bloody military campaigns, conquered the Irish kingdom of Connacht and in 1203 defeated its rulers, the O'Connors. William de Burgh soon died “of a strange disease too shameful to name”, and his children began building the castle. Ashford remained their main stronghold in this wild and unpredictable territory for the next 300 years.

From the reign of the O'Connors - a powerful dynasty, one of the branches of which exists to this day - 700 meters from the castle there are the ruins of the magnificent Cong Abbey, where Roderick O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, lived and died. It used to be home to the greatest religion of the Irish kings - the Cross of Kong, which is now kept in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. For over 350 years, Ashford Castle belonged to the de Burgh family, whose representatives by that time already considered themselves completely native Irish, not wanting to recognize the power of the English crown.

In the second half of the 16th century. The head of the dynasty was Richard Bourke, nicknamed Iron Richard, warlike and restless, recognized as the autonomous leader of the clan even by the English crown. In 1583 he died and was replaced by the widow, the "pirate queen" Granual, and their 17-year-old son Theobald, nicknamed Tibbot the Ship.

In 1584, Sir Richard Bingham was appointed governor of the province of Connacht. Soon a general uprising began in Connacht, in which de Burki were active participants. Bingham hanged several members of the de Bourke family and razed more than one family castle to the ground, not skimping on fines and confiscation of property. In 1585, Theobald Bourke was taken hostage as a guarantee that his mother would comply with the terms of the Treaty of Connacht, which ordered the heads of the Irish clans to renounce traditional rights and privileges and formally cede their lands to the English crown. While in prison, Theobald learned English. Soon Bingham released him and Theobald joined the uprising.

After violent clashes between the de Bourkes and Bingham's forces in 1587, the parties concluded a truce. But the calm did not last long, although it ended in the defeat of the rebels. Bingham took possession of Ashford Castle in 1589 and built a separate fortified enclave on its grounds. In 1596, the queen, tired of reports of Bingham's cruelties and his inability to cope with the unrest, recalled him from Ireland, but two years later he was sent again to the Green Island to suppress a rebellion led by Hugh O'Neill.

In 1715, the Ashford estate became the property of the family of Baron Oranmore Brown, and the medieval fortifications were complemented by an elegant palace in the style of a 17th-century French chateau.

In 1852, the estate was purchased by Irish businessman and philanthropist Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, grandson of the founder of the Guinness brewery. After the death of his father, Sir Benjamin became the richest man in Ireland, established an active export trade and constantly expanded his business. In addition, Guinness was interested in archeology and did a lot to preserve ancient monuments of Irish heritage, including in County Galway. He enlarged the estate, built new roads, planted thousands of trees and added two large Victorian wings to the mansion.

In 1867, an image of the renovated castle appeared in the local history book “Lough Corrib” by the famous Irish surgeon and author of books on the history and archeology of Ireland Sir William Wilde, the father of the famous writer. Sir William wrote: “The following illustration... shows the steamer Eglington passing Ashford Manor, the stately residence of Sir B. L. Guinness, M.P., with its tower rising above the surrounding woods.”

In 1868, after the death of Sir Benjamin, the estate passed to his son Arthur Edward Guinness, who, like his father, was a businessman, politician and philanthropist. In 1880, Queen Victoria granted him the title Lord Ardilon (the name of the title was derived from the Gaelic phrase meaning “high island in the lake”).

Lord Ardilon lived at Ashford for most of the year and invested considerable resources in the development of the estate and the maintenance of the castle. As an avid amateur gardener, Lord Ardilon took a special interest in the development of vast woodlands. In addition, with the help of the architect James Fuller, he completely rebuilt the entire western wing of the castle. The generous baron also sponsored a number of steamships, including the Lady Eglington, which sailed between the villages that grew up on the shores of Lough Corribah and Galway city. This opened up new opportunities for trade development in the region.

From Lord Ardilon the castle passed to his nephew Ernest Guinness. After the latter's death, the castle was managed by the family's Iveagh Trust from 1915, which in 1939 sold the estate to Noel Haggard, a descendant of a family of Irish hotel entrepreneurs. The new owner opened a first-class hotel here, which became particularly famous for offering traditional local activities such as hunting and fishing (Lough Corrib turned out to be the best place for trout and salmon fishing in Europe).

In 1970, the castle was purchased by American multimillionaire John Mulcahy. He often stayed at Noel Haggard's hotel with his retinue of secretaries and assistants. He liked it here so much that he eventually decided to buy Ashford. Mulcahy carried out extensive restoration, almost doubling the size of the building, renovating the old gardens and lawns and creating a magnificent golf course with stunning views of Lough Corrib.

Mulcahy's dream was to turn Ashford into the best hotel in the world, and he succeeded in this thanks to the talented manager Rory Murphy. In 1975, Ashford was named the best hotel in Britain and Ireland by the authoritative hotel guide Egon Ronay. This is the first time an Irish hotel has received such a high title. “That was the defining moment,” Murphy said. “They started writing so much about us in the press that guests started pouring in.”

In 1985, Ashford Castle was bought by a group of 64 investors, led by former American Ambassador to Ireland Walter Curley and Irish-American businessman and philanthropist Charles Feeney. Rory Murphy remained as manager and only retired in 2002. In 2007, a consortium of investors sold the hotel for €50 million to Irish businessman Gerry Barrett, who by that time already owned several hotels in County Galway.

Today, the Ashford Castle Hotel is a majestic structure with many crenellated towers, parapets, galleries, lancet windows, massive fireplaces, cellars and secret passages. The landscape is complemented by a bridge over the Cong River leading to the castle with two massive fairy-tale towers. The interiors of the castle are no less impressive. It offers guests 85 superbly decorated rooms and several beautiful halls, furnished with expensive furniture, decorated with exquisite wood carvings and valuable works of art. The design of each room is unique.

A special attraction of Ashford is its excellent cuisine. The restaurant in the George V Hall is open all year round and is headed by Stefan Matz, Ireland's Best Chef 2010 according to the Ireland Good Eating Guide. In this luxurious room for 150 people with excellent views of the lake and river you can taste the masterpieces of Irish and international cuisine.

During the summer there is also a restaurant in the Connacht Hall, serving classic French dishes. The same Matz is in charge of the kitchen. This room is more comfortable and can accommodate 48 people. Its beautiful wood carvings and fantastic fireplace make it one of the finest in the castle.

After lunch, you can have a glass in the cocktail bar named after the Prince of Wales, which was created at the end of the 19th century. specially for the visit of the future King George V. This room, with its oak paneling and the Guinness family crest hanging over the fireplace, has a particularly warm atmosphere. There is also the more informal Dungeon Bar, which regularly features renowned singers and harpists performing traditional Irish tunes. Other rooms in the castle include the elegant drawing room, where traditional tea and sweets are served, and the magnificent Oak Entrance Hall, decorated with art from various eras.

Ashford is especially proud of its first falconry school in Ireland. A private breeding center for birds of prey is located right on the castle grounds, on the shores of Lough Corrib. This is a rare opportunity for tourists to learn how to tame the desert buzzard, owl and falcon. As well as falconry training, the castle offers guests a variety of other activities including trout and salmon fishing, long woodland walks, horse riding lessons and cruises on the Lady Ardilon ferry on Lough Corrib, one of the largest, clearest and picturesque in the country. The castle grounds have everything you need for sports: excellent tennis and golf courts and even a skeet shooting range. Ashford often hosts special events, such as wine tasting week or seafood week. The hotel has a modern wellness center with a sauna, jacuzzi, gym and a full range of spa treatments.

Lovers of silence can retire to the beautiful gardens: the castle is surrounded by landscaped grounds with many trees, flower beds, lawns and walking alleys, laid out in the era of Sir Benjamin Guinness. One of the paths leads to a wooden chalet built by Lord Ardilon for his wife Olivia.

Exotic lovers will be offered helicopter excursions over the castle, Galway city, the Cliffs of Moher and the Connemara region - one of the most beautiful regions of Ireland.

The castle was built in 1228 by representatives of the Anglo-Norman Burke family - shortly after the Burkes lost a battle with the O'Connors, the royal family of Connacht. Ashford was one of several castles built by the Burkes in the region; however, Ashford has always remained the most important fortress.
The original inhabitants of these places, the O'Connors, also had a certain influence on the appearance of the castle; this influence was especially evident in the Romanesque abbey of the Augustinian order. It was in this abbey that the last High King of Ireland, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, died. From this abbey came one of the greatest relics of the Irish royal court, the Cross of Cong, which is believed to contain a piece of the True Cross. The Cross of Cong is currently kept in the National Museum of Ireland ).
For more than three and a half centuries, the castle belonged to the de Burgs - also known as "Burki" or "Burki". The situation changed only at the end of the 16th century - it was then that the de Burghs had to fight the forces of Sir Richard Bingham, Lord President of Connacht. Ashford Castle fell in 1589; the new owner almost immediately built a new fortification on the castle grounds.
In 1715, the estate of the Browne family, Baron Oranmore, was built at the castle; The medieval look was complemented by a 17th century chateau.
In 1852, the estate was bought by Benjamin Lee Guinness; He significantly expanded the estate, built new roads, planted several thousand trees and added two new Victorian-style extensions. In 1868, Benjamin Lee Guinness died. His son and heir, Arthur Edward Guinness, was an avid gardener. Arthur Edward, however, did not only deal with gardens and forests - under him the western wing of the castle was completely rebuilt.
Arthur's nephew, Ernest Guinness, sold the castle to Noel Huggard in 1939. It was under Haggard that the castle was turned into a hotel; Noel was no stranger to the hotel business - his parents ran a similar establishment in Waterville.
In 1970, Ashford was bought by John Mulcahy. The new owner not only completely restored the castle, but under him Ashford was almost doubled in size due to a new wing. In addition to the new wing, John built a golf course on his land and did a lot of work on the local gardens.

" /> In 1985, the castle was bought by a group of Irish-American investors; in 2007, these investors sold the castle to Gerry Barrett. The new owner had already become the center of a very loud scandal, having installed electric gates on his land, he blocked the public road, which had been in operation for several hundred years. Of course, local residents did not like this; a specially created group of activists had already protested several times against what they considered to be an illegal restriction.
Many highly important people have visited the walls of Ashford. Most often, various kinds of political figures stayed here - such as Senator Ted Kennedy, President Ronald Reagan, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Prince Rainier III of Monaco and his wife Princess Grace. In addition, two Beatles lived here - John Lennon and George Harrison.

The stunningly beautiful city is famous not only for its wonderful natural landscapes, but also for its numerous castles, the history of which is inextricably linked with the history of the country, its sorrows and joys. Almost any medieval castle in Ireland is shrouded in mystical charm; its history contains a lot of mysteries and secrets, sometimes creepy and paranormal. Ireland is a country where there are many shadows of a bloody past that still remind living people of themselves. Many of these ancient castles have now become museums, and yet they have retained a certain amount of mystery and mystery. We have made 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 landmarks in the western part of Ireland. It stands at the confluence of the River Cong and Lough Corrib, right on the border of the two counties of Mayo and Galway. Ashford Castle began to be built in 1228 for representatives of the aristocratic Norman family de Burgh; later the spelling of their surname changed to “Bourke”. The powerful medieval castle belonged to this powerful family for three and a half centuries, which proudly called itself the descendants of the native Irish and did not recognize the power of the British in any way. Since 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 Burki, rose up against him. Then Sir Bingham sentenced several representatives of this clan to be hanged at once. 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 cruelties. The Queen of England soon grew tired of the regular complaints about Bingham's atrocities causing more unrest in Ireland, and ordered the territory to be abandoned. In the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the ancient Ashford Castle was bought by Baron Oranmore Brown, who redesigned the ancient fortification, making it an elegant palace in the French style. Since 1852, this aristocratic Irish estate was bought by 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 ancient Irish sites. He bought the territory surrounding the castle, planted a forest there, made excellent roads, and also added two more extensions 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 “Lord Ardilon” from Queen Victoria for his philanthropic services to the country. The new owner loved Ashford Castle very much, he continued his father’s work, expanded and developed the vast forest lands, and also rebuilt one wing of the building to suit his own taste. Also, the baron, who was a businessman, sponsored shipping on Lough Corriba, and now small ships could travel between settlements located on the shore of the lake, calling at the city of Galway. In 1939, the descendants of Lord Ardilon sold the castle to Irish businessman Haggard, who turned the ancient building into an excellent hotel. People came to these beautiful places with pleasure, because in addition to accommodation, they offered such entertainment as hunting in the rich forest lands and fishing for salmon and trout in the waters of the lake. Since 1970, Ashford Castle came into the possession of millionaire John Mulcahy, who often visited these places and simply 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, updating the gardens, lawns, and made a huge golf course on the shores of Lough Corrib. In 2007, the castle hotel was purchased by Irish businessman Gerry Barrett.

Today, the magnificent Ashford Castle Hotel attracts tourists with its elegant medieval crenellated towers, beautiful parapets, numerous galleries, and lancet windows. To get to the gate, you need to cross a bridge over the Kong River, topped with watchtowers on both sides. Guests are no less fascinated by the interiors of the castle. There are eighty-five rooms here, and all of them are luxuriously decorated, furnished with antique furniture, decorated with filigree wood carvings and 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 and famous world celebrities often stay at this hotel. The hotel's cuisine and chic restaurant, located in the George V Hall, deserve special praise. The restaurant employs chef Stefan Matz, who received the title of “Ireland’s Best Chef” in 2010. The restaurant can serve one hundred and fifty guests at a time; they are accommodated in the “winter” hall, from the windows of which panoramas of the lake and river open. There is also a “summer” Connacht hall here; it can serve fifty people at a time. The interior here is more cozy and soft, there is a fireplace, and the walls are decorated with carved wooden 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 Lough Corrib. Here you can have fun with traditional local pastimes - fishing, walks along forest paths and gardens, take horse riding lessons, take a lake cruise on the Lady Ardilon ferry, play tennis, golf, shoot skeet, taste wines, seafood, and 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 Moher Cliffs and the lands of Connemara. If you don’t have an extra two hundred euros, and this is the amount that starts with the payment for one night of hotel accommodation, then you can visit the castle absolutely free, and local employees will give you a tour of it at a low negotiable price.

Ashford Castle Hotel Address: Ireland, Cong, CoMayo.

Manderley Castle

This absolutely charming historical landmark of the Irish capital - Dublin, currently owned by the singer Enya, was previously called Victoria Castle, but was renamed by the eccentric new owner. Victoria Castle, a charming medieval-style building with crenellated turrets and a magnificent garden around it, was erected in 1840 to commemorate the accession to the throne of Queen Victoria of England. The architect Robert Warren was involved in the construction. The castle was surrounded by magnificent gardens that occupied fourteen thousand square meters, and from the lancet windows of the castle one could see the Irish coast, right up to the lands of Wales. There was a secret passage from the fortress under the gardens leading to Killiney beach, however, this tunnel is now walled up. The interiors of the castle were magnificent and lush, decorated with unique masterpieces of art. Unfortunately, in 1928 there was a strong 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”, hinting at the goddess from the novel, who was reborn from the element of fire. In 1995, the owners of the castle, representatives of the Aylmer family, built residential apartments and a gallery in the former stables, which was called “Equestrian”, to attract tourists. An exhibition of works by Irish and European painters opened there.

Since 1997, the castle became 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, and replaced the gate. Despite this, in 2005, robbers tried to break into Manderley Castle twice, and both times the owner was at home. Fortunately, the robbery attempts failed. Despite the fact that today Manderley Castle is a private area, many tourists say that they were able to visit it through a direct agreement with the singer Enya. If you have a desire, then try to visit it too.

Manderley Castle is located at: Ireland, Dublin, Ard Mhuire Park Killiney.

Blarney Castle

This ancient castle is one of the symbols of freedom-loving Ireland, located in the village of Blarney of the same name, in the suburbs of the small city of Cork. Blarney Castle was built in 1446 on the site of an earlier fortification 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 escape without putting their lives in danger. These secret passages served very well for the owners of the castle in the seventeenth century, when Lord Broghill besieged the fortress and was even able to break through these powerful walls inside, but what was his surprise when, once on the castle territory, he did not find a single living souls, and in addition, all valuables were also taken out of Blarney by the owners.

The guides will tell you 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 the First 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 of Blarney was not ready to give up his ancestral property, although he also did not dare to say so openly. When another envoy on this issue arrived from the queen, he cordially greeted him with feasts, treats, hunting, gifts, said a lot of nice things, handed over letters to the queen with many compliments, assurances of eternal devotion, but did not offer to accept the desired gift - Blarney Castle. Since then, a new term has been introduced into the English language: “to blarney”, that is, “to flatter” - to conduct 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 “Stone of Eloquence” is overgrown with more than one myth, moreover, they are all different and do not in any way reveal the essence of the appearance of this artifact. They say that this stone was given to one of the owners of the castle by an Irish witch, whom he turned to to help him win a hopeless lawsuit in court. This man was tongue-tied and had no hope of winning the argument, but after he kissed the stone he received from the witch, he was able to charm the judges with his florid speeches and won a stunning victory in court, protecting his property. As for the “Stone of Eloquence” itself, it was part of the famous Scone Stone; previously, the coronation of the kings of England and Scotland took place on it. The legend of its discovery is interesting: for many years the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II traveled to different countries, looking for paradise 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 had a dream about angels ascending a ladder into the sky. When the princess of Egypt died, the stone was kept in the Scottish Abbey of Scone. Part of this stone was given to the ancestor of the castle's builder, Demort McCarthy, after he helped King Robert the Bruce win the Battle of Bannockburn. Subsequently, during the construction of Blarney, part of the Scone stone was built into one of the walls of the tower, and at its very top. Since then, the belief has been firmly established behind the stone that any person who kisses it will gain the gift of eloquence. But to kiss the stone you will have to try: climb to the very top of the tower - its fifth floor, bend incredibly and, holding on to the handrails, make a kiss.

Today Blarney Castle is a fairly well-preserved square fortress keep, with strong walls, fortified with towers at the four corners. But the interior interior has not survived to this day, although the guides talk in detail about all the rooms: they will show you where the owner of Blarney had his chambers, the rooms of his associates, guest bedrooms, and also a secret room for murderers, where the servants were hiding, always ready at the owner’s orders kill the unwanted guest.

On the grounds of Blarney Castle there is a very beautiful house in the Gothic style, Blarney House, built in the eighteenth century, although the original building burned down in a fire in 1820, and a new one was restored a little to the side in 1874. It is open to tourists from April to May on Fridays and Saturdays.

The garden of Blarney Castle is another rather mysterious place where you can feel some kind of mystical atmosphere. Here are located such artifacts as: “Rock Close” - an ancient pagan altar, the Druid Circle, the Witches Kitchen. An interesting place is the “Witches’ Staircase” - this is a green split rock, into which you can walk along slippery steps, and you need to do this by first making a wish and closing your eyes, so that as you walk up the stairs, the little elves will fulfill your plans. The gardens around Blarney Castle appeared in the eighteenth century, they were laid out between centuries-old oak trees, intertwining corners of nature with man-made masterpieces of landscape design. Picnics are allowed in the castle garden, so there are always a lot of vacationers 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 on winter days. Closed on the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth of December. Entrance ticket price to Blarney Castle: adult – ten euros; children from eight to fourteen years old - three and a half euros. Entry to the castle park is free.

Blarney Castle address: Ireland, Blarney Village.

Bunratty Castle

The massive and formidable medieval castle of Bunratty is located in County Clare in the village of the same name, Bunratty, near the town of Shannon. This fortress has a long history. Back in 1425, it was built by the Irish McNamara clan on the site of the citadel of a 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 survive and is well preserved to this day. Some time passed after construction and the castle ended up in the possession of the O'Brien family. The building was heavily destroyed in 1641 during the Irish Rebellion, but it was restored five years later. Since the eighteenth century, Bunratty Castle was owned by the Studdert family. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, they left the fortress in order to move to a more comfortable and elegant palace, and the ancient building gradually began to collapse from lack of care and timely repairs.

Already today, the castle has been recognized as an object of cultural heritage; in the period from 1945 to 1954, the state carried out a global restoration there so that the updated castle could return all its medieval splendor. Its interiors were filled with antique furniture, household items and art, 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 accompanied by an information plaque about its origin. Today, Bunratty Castle is considered one of the best preserved in Ireland, housing a rich collection of medieval furniture and tapestries. Feasts in medieval style are often held in its luxurious halls.

Tourists enjoy getting to know not only the castle, but the village where it stands, because here they have the opportunity to visit local farms and fishermen’s houses, learn about the traditional crafts of the area, take pictures in national costumes, taste amazing dishes, watch historical scenes, which often go to the castle to entertain guests. It is very pleasant to walk through 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 to four in the evening, and the park is open until half past six 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 Island

The very beautiful and incredibly romantic McDermott Castle is located within the miniature green island of Castle, which grew up in the middle of the picturesque Lough Key, in the Irish county of Roscommon, near the town of Boyle. The round lake stretches for ten kilometers, and thirty small islands are scattered across its entire surface. By the way, there is an interesting local legend about the appearance of this reservoir. They say that the lake appeared thanks to the Druid deity of Nuada named Ki, who was wounded during the mythological Second Battle of the village of Moytur, and fled in search of shelter to heal. After a short journey to the south, he saw a beautiful flowering valley, then lay down on the ground and fell fast asleep. Suddenly, waters from underground sources began to rapidly rise and in a matter of minutes covered both the green meadow and the god sleeping on it. A lake appeared here.

Gradually, people began to settle on some of its islands. Thus, according to the ancient written sources of the Annals of Lough Key, it is known that Castle Island was occupied by two Irish clans, McDermott and McGreevy. Soon a powerful castle grew here, which was first called “McGreevy”, but, as the chronicle says, then this family nest began to be named after the name of the McDermott clan. Here you can read about the constant struggle and battles for ownership of the castle and the island; most likely, representatives of the McDermott family recaptured 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 jagged semicircular turrets - was almost completely burned out in the fire.

The next castle was built on the site of one that burned down at the end of the twelfth century. It is said that in the Middle Ages, a tragic episode reminiscent of the story of Romeo and Juliet occurred between the two warring McDermott families and the McCostello clan, who settled on another island. The owner’s daughter, Una McDermott, lived in the castle, who fell in love with a guy, Thomas McCostello, but when her parents found out about their relationship, they forbade them to meet, and Una’s parents sent her to an uninhabited, remote island in the lake. But the loving couple did not stop seeing each other in secret: every day Thomas swam across the lake from his island to the lonely island to see Una. But the girl’s sad existence, far from her family and 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 idea of ​​swimming until he fell ill with pneumonia and died. In his dying fever, he asked Una’s father for the right to be buried next to his daughter, so that they could 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 became intertwined, showing all living the inviolability of love bonds even after death. Tourists can still see quite overgrown pink thickets to this day on Trinity Island.

In an interesting poem dating back to the fifteenth century, you can read about the local sorceress Hag Lock Clew, better known in these lands as the “Old Woman of Lough Key,” who found a way to a comfortable and well-fed existence: she imposed a vow on the owner of the island and castle, Cormac McDermott eternal hospitality.

Further historical documents say 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. McDermott Castle became part of the English Crown. True, already in the next century the building was struck by lightning and it burned out once again, leaving picturesque ruins as a reminder of itself. At the end of the eighteenth - beginning of the nineteenth century, a residence house and a park for country recreation were built on the island for the English royal family, but this building also burned down during the Second World War.

As for the representatives of the McDermott family, they moved to the Rockingham estate nearby. This house was surrounded by a picturesque wooded area and a park where there was a beautiful lake. That part of the territory also became the property of the crown when the Lough Key recreation and entertainment park was established here, occupying eight hundred hectares of area. On the territory of the park there was also an ancient observation tower of Moylurg, the McDermott family, right 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, entangled in the area. There is an old dilapidated church here. Getting acquainted with the local park, tourists must visit the Trinity Bridge, built in 1836, and also look into the stone “Garden of God”. McDermott Castle itself is an absolutely charming ruin and one of the most beautiful and romantic attractions in Ireland.

McDermott Island Castle address: Ireland, Lough Key, County Roscommon.

Menlo Castle

Ireland is the homeland 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 other families, no less thirsty for power, were always ready to take their place, who sought to destroy the castles created by previous feudal lords, expand their former possessions, in order to strengthen their family and dynasty. One such representative of a formidable and irreconcilable clan is Sir Richard Caddell, who was one of the Knights of the Round Table under King Arthur, and received the nickname “Black” for his unusually dark skin color. He arrived on the Irish island during the first wave of the Anglo-Norman migration of 1169, and in order to finally put down roots here, he married a local girl, Mirabella, who was the daughter of the local feudal lord Richard De Bourke. Cadell soon became Sheriff of Connacht, and all of his descendants subsequently 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 that ruled 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, Menlo Castle, after improvements and reconstructions, became a powerful fortress-city with fourteen ramparts, gates, and streets. The city of Galway itself flourished, engaging in extensive trade with other countries. Due to the castle's unusually strategic location on the banks of the river, in the mid-seventeenth century, troops under the command of Cromwell tried to capture Menlo Castle, but, fortunately, they soon lifted the siege and left without harming civilians.

In Irish history of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, one of the representatives of the family very clearly imprinted himself - the mystical Sir Valentine Black, 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 unknown causes. Soon there were no people left willing 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 fairly respectable gentleman; he worked as a surgeon. But it was just a beautiful façade, 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 in order to hide this, Sir Valentine did not let him out in public in the last years of his father’s life, saying that he had become weak-minded. Dying, the 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 residents 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 sensible person, left the funeral, and a big scandal immediately broke out. During these proceedings and scandals, the tombstone was placed not at the head of the deceased, but at the feet. This was not corrected later, and as local residents say, it became the trigger for the tragic events that happened further and the revenge of the offended soul of the late father.

It must be said that Sir Valentine had three children in total: his two already adult sons died, the youngest daughter got married and moved to another city, only the youngest daughter, the crippled Miss Helen, remained with her father, suffering from rheumatism and practically unable to move independently. The father often insulted his daughter, taking it out on her for all his failures in life. And she gradually fell ill with mental illness, then they began to lock her in a room, not letting her out in public. Two maids, Anna and Delia, were assigned to the unfortunate girl to help her if necessary. On the twenty-sixth of June 1910, Sir Valentine and his wife went to Dublin for the night, and at five o’clock in the morning his daughter’s room was engulfed in fire. The coachman Kirwan, who lived in a room on the second floor, heard the desperate cries of the maids, but could not go up the stairs to the apartment of the owner’s daughter, because everything was already on fire, then he went down the walls covered with ivy, along the outer wall, getting out of his window rooms. He ran around the castle to understand how much the building was on fire and realized with horror that the entire part overlooking the river was on fire. Suddenly he saw on the roof two rushing figures of maids who asked to help them. Local residents had already come running to the castle and brought a ladder, but it did not reach the roof, the girls’ clothes had already begun to smolder, then bales of straw were stacked below, they were ordered to jump down. Delia was the first to jump, but she landed next to the straw and immediately fell to her death. Anna fell on 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 became seriously ill. A few days passed and “Master Menlo” died, what is most surprising is that the tombstone on his grave was also installed in reverse, like his father’s. What was it: a coincidence or revenge from local residents for disrespect to their father? – now no one can answer for sure. It was rumored that the fire happened as 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, all that remains of the castle are absolutely picturesque ruins, covered with a cushion of green ivy. Tourists always come here to look at this romantic attraction next to the river. Many locals have picnics here, although they say that it is better to leave this place before dark, because the ruins you can see strange ethereal shadows lamenting 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 discovered, and the other two are his wives, who are said to have been killed by an insidious husband at Menlo Castle. Be that as it may, this place is full of secrets and mystical charm, and is definitely worth a visit while in Ireland.

Enniskillen Castle

The beautiful and stately, and well-preserved Irish castle of Enniskillen stands in County Fermanagh on the banks of the River Erne. It was built by the leader of the Gaelic clan, Hugh Maguire, in order to control the neighboring territories of the north-west, and to protect members of his clan from attacks by warlike neighbors. The powerful walls of the first structure - the square tower - held the defense 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 construction of the castle; they can only judge that in the first written sources, dating back to 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 absolutely know, was a representative of the same clan from Enniskillen - Sean Maguire, elected in 1484. Over the centuries of its existence, the castle was improved and strengthened, and its appearance changed. This was caused by the urgent need to maintain an endless defense, because the castle stood in a strategically important place and there was always a confrontation over it. That is why the clan leaders constantly had to come up with new ways to protect and strengthen the fortress walls. The county was regularly subject to enemy attacks, and Enniskillen Castle could not be left out. He suffered especially during 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-long siege in 1594. The castle suffered no less from the intrigues of politicians that reigned all around, so it was unwittingly drawn into an extended nine-year war from the end of the sixteenth century.

Since 1607, the chief of the clan named Kuhonnakt was expelled from Ireland for treason, and his possessions, including Enniskillen Castle and lands, were given to the city constable Sir William Cole by the English conquerors. The new owner began to rebuild the castle to his taste. He erected the Watergate structure, which was completed on both sides by round towers. Now it is not known for certain 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. Be that as it may, today the Watergate, with the flag with the image of St. George rising above it, is a symbol of this Irish county.

Ireland soon became a military base for the Kingdom of Spain, and as a result the castle was increased in size to accommodate more soldiers' barracks, as well as a weapons arsenal. Since the nineteenth century, the fortress was captured 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 built for the large English garrison. 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, the ancient town of Enniskillen, and the military affairs of this country. In addition, there is a museum of the Royal Fusiliers - the Inniskilling Regimental Museum. In the castle museum, tourists can see interesting household items, clothing and furniture that belonged to the people who once lived in this castle. Very interesting are the collections of Irish lace, ceramics, weapons and military uniforms.

Enniskillen Castle can be visited:
- From May to June, in September - Monday, Saturday - from two in the afternoon to five in the evening; 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 two in the afternoon to five in the evening; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening.
- From October to April - Monday from two in the afternoon to five in the evening; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening; Saturday and Sunday are days off. Ticket for adults - four euros; for children, students, pensioners - three euros.

Enniskillen Castle Address: town of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

King John's Castle in Limerick

This ancient castle of the thirteenth century stands in the city of Limerick on the territory of the “King's Island”. The building was built for King John the Landless in the middle of an island created by the natural bends of the Shannon and Abbey rivers. The castle replaced the flimsy earthen embankments that once served to protect the local population. Of course, the original structure changed over time, it increased in size and improved in terms of fortifications. It didn't take long before Limerick Royal Castle became the most impregnable English fortress in the west of Ireland. Despite this, in 1642 this amazing example of Norman fortification was destroyed during the capture of Ireland by Cromwell and his troops. Not far from the castle, if you go to the other side of the river through 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 of two kings, which took place between 1690 and 1961.

Nowadays, the Castle of King John the Landless has become a museum. The fact is that some time ago they wanted to open a tourist information center here, but when they started digging the ground for some buildings, they discovered that here, under the soil, there were well-preserved Viking houses, their household items, and jewelry. Weapons from antiquity in the form of rams and catapults, the remains of people who died during the capture of Limerick by Cromwell, and military barracks were discovered. That is why it was decided to open a museum at this castle so that tourists could get acquainted with the history of the city of Limerick and all of Ireland, see reconstructed Viking dwellings and medieval castle fortifications.

The exposition of the castle is divided into several zones: archaeological - these are excavations carried out in the open air; underground - already excavated historical architectural objects - ruins and fragments of premises, dwellings, fortress walls. At the Visitor Centre, visitors can see a model of the city of Limerick and its castle in their heyday. Another major area is the Royal Castle itself, with its large courtyard and observation towers, as well as the 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.

Address of the castle of King John the Landless: Ireland, County Limerick, Limerick city, St. Nicholas Street.

Belfast Castle

A very beautiful castle, as if straight out of a fairy tale, stands on a hill above the city of Belfast, being its most popular symbol. Belfast Castle is surrounded by beautiful, well-kept Cavehill Park.

The first wooden castle was built by the Norman knight John de Courcy at the end of the twelfth century after capturing the Kingdom of Ulster, which existed in these lands. But it was not the Normans who were the first to notice these places, because people began to settle on the slopes of the Cave Hill hills, pitted with caves, back in the Bronze Age. To this day, scientists are discovering buildings there that date back several thousand years. The ancient cities and dwellings of the Celts long ago fell into ruins when the English and Normans came to Ireland. Returning to the history of the original fortress, it did not stand for long 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 more reliable to build a stone castle, but it also stood for 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 and 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 form was built already in 1870 under the Marquis of Donegal. So much money was spent on the construction of the magnificent mansion and on its rich interior decoration that the family almost went bankrupt. The Marquis decided to stop with the final finishing of Belfast Castle, and after his death, his heirs sold the unfinished structure to the Shaftesberry family. Earl Shaftesberry and his wife, Marchioness Harriet Augusta, were able to bring to life this fabulous castle, which was inherited in 1894 by their descendant, who was later elected mayor of the city of Dublin. In 1934, the Shaftesberry family donated Belfast Castle to the city, and local authorities began carrying out restoration work on it in 1978.

The six-storey Belfast Castle is famous for its stunning garden with a central fountain. Walking along well-kept paths, tourists can admire breathtaking panoramas of Belfast Bay and sea views. Nowadays, Belfast Castle is maintained at the expense of tourists, and various special events, weddings, banquets and so on are held here. The castle has its own souvenir shop and an excellent small restaurant.

It is worth saying that a very important theme associated with Belfast Castle is the white cat. There is a legend that a white cat is a talisman and guardian of the aristocratic Donegal family, which once owned the castle, and as long as such a white cat lives in the castle garden, not only this family, but also the fortress itself will be in order. While the Donegals lived in Belfast Castle, well-fed white cats always ran around here. In addition, nine images of cats were made in the garden, which connect the entire garden area together. The guides say that if a tourist manages to find all nine images of cats, without clues because some of them are not immediately visible, then they 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. Similar beliefs of the Irish are associated with their Celtic roots.

Another theme of local souvenirs, in addition to the white cat, is the legendary Titanic ship, which was manufactured at the Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff in the not so distant 1911. Entry to Belfast Castle and Gardens is completely free.

In Ireland, on the shores of Lough Corrib, the ancient Ashford Castle is located. Once upon a time, a long time ago, back in 1228, the Anglo-Norman family of Burgh began the construction of a powerful fortress, which for several centuries was a reliable refuge for the family. The castle withstood many attacks from conquerors.

Ireland fought for a long time for its independence, and Ashford Castle was often at the center of military action. But, nevertheless, the Tudors conquered Ireland.

In the second half of the 16th century, the forces of Lord President Richard Bingham approached the castle. The battles lasted for several years, but still, in 1589 the castle fell. Its new owner was Richard Bingham, who immediately began building new fortifications.

Until the middle of the 19th century, the castle changed several owners, until in 1852 it was acquired by aristocrat Benjamin Guinness, whose family owned the castle until 1939. During this time, several buildings were added, roads were laid and several thousand trees were planted.

But not every tourist can visit this castle and get acquainted with its sights. Only hotel guests, among whom there are many high-ranking personalities, Hollywood stars and world-class musicians, can admire the interior.

Photo: Ashford Castle

Photo: Ashford Castle (ashfordcastle.com / used under permission)

Photo: Ashford Castle (ashfordcastle.com / used under permission)

Photo: Ashford Castle (ashfordcastle.com / used under permission)

The hotel has luxurious rooms from the windows of which you can enjoy views of the lake and forest. Many rooms contain unique antiques purchased at auctions. The hotel features 2 restaurants and a spa and wellness centre. Fans of active recreation can go fishing, go horseback riding, walk through the park and forest, and take a ferry ride on Lough Corrib.