Castles 19 fortresses, tower houses and stately homes

Ireland's first stone castles arrived with the Norman invasion of 1169, when the new Anglo-Norman lords began raising timber mottes that were soon rebuilt in stone to secure their hold on conquered land. From the 15th century on, especially during the tower-house boom among Gaelic and Anglo-Irish lords alike, the Irish countryside filled with thousands of these fortified towers, many of which still stand today, whether as ruins or restorations, scattered across the island.

The 19 castles gathered here show that range: from medieval ruins to residences that stayed in the same family for centuries, through romantic 19th-century remodels and castles now run as state heritage sites. Malahide stayed in the hands of one family for almost 800 years; Dunluce is today a dramatic ruin teetering on a clifftop. Each one has its own full story, with visiting details, on its dedicated page.