Castles

Custom Tours of Ancient and Medieval Irish Castles     AshfordCastle_db__2000

No trip to Ireland is complete without seeing some of her castles. The trick is deciding which ones to visit, and where to find them. That’s where Mick’s Custom Irish Tours comes in.

 

Imagine yourself as a medieval knight wielding a sword as you storm crumbling castle stones, cross moats, climb knights’ lookout towers, and examine medieval  dungeons.  Rock_of_Cashel_Uebersicht - CopyIreland’s countryside is dotted with dozens and dozens of castles, full of history, and a sense of wonder with their elaborate banquet halls, stone towers, and mighty defense systems.ireland-castle_1_

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, Ireland’s ancient castles are sprinkled across the island’s lush, green countryside in various states of ruin or restoration. meadow ruin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A few castles have been fully restored, some hosting marvelous medieval banquets and authentic feasts with music, dance, and serving wenches . . . and, of course, plenty of ale and meade!Medievil-Banquets-web-2

 

 

 

 

 

 A number of fully restored castles are now fabulous “hotels” where you can stay like nobility. And there are actually some castles for rent. Dromoland Castle, County Clare

 

 

 

 

Whether you jump in a rental car or you’re on a tour, chances are you’ll find a castle.

Mick’s Irish Tours can customize a castle tour for you, or include castles in any itinerary.

An Irish castle tour will sate your historical and architectural curiosity for all things medieval.That’s your host Mick about to ascend the castle to kiss the stone (yet again)!That’s your host Mick about to ascend Blarney castle to kiss the stone (yet again)!  

Let Mick plan and/or book an Irish adventure where you spend a night or two (or more) in an actual ancient Irish castle…or spend several nights at a variety of different ones…  And don’t forget your sword, m’lord.

 

Castle History and Lore

Ghosts, grand dynasties, and the ‘gift o’ the gab’… when it comes to Irish castles,connemara castle you never quite know what stories lie around the next turret.

 

 

From ancient ruins, to hotels,  museums, health spas, conference centers and even a shopping center, Irish castles come in every shape and size, and usage.

Mick’s Irish Tours can help guide you to the ones most interesting to you.

Ireland’s castles look as though they’ve been here forever, but they’ve barely been around for the bones of a millennium.

Arriving with the Anglo-Normans, these castles began as earth and timber structures, but by the late 12th century, were increasingly being replaced by a more permanent material – stone.

An Era for Castles

After the Norman fortresses, came defensive tower houses, Elizabethan manors, Victorian, Baronial and other flights of fancy, in both new buildings and adaptations of original structures. The result? A marvelous motley collection of crumbling ruins, medieval mash-ups, magnificent edifices, and pristine stately piles that seem purpose-built for later visitors.

Mick’s Custom Irish Tours will plan the perfect castle tour for you or your group. Ireland is renowned for its historic Castles. While many lie in ruins and can be seen scattered across the country, several have been lovingly restored to their former glory. Examples are the famous Bunratty Castle, and Adare Manor. adare-manor-castle-ireland   Probably Ireland’s best known castle is Caislean na Blarnán, or Blarney Castle, where you get the chance to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone.

 

Írish castles are some of the best reasons to visit Ireland. Some travelers plan their Ireland trip around castle visits, trying to fit in as many beautiful, medieval Irish castles as possible.castle Knappogue - lightedWhatever your desired route and itinerary may be, from Dublin to the Ring of Kerry, you can most likely find an Irish castle nearby. Let Mick’s Custom Irish Tours guide you there.