The tower house
Four towers and high arches.
John Menard — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Jerzy Strzelecki — CC BY 3.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · DXR — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Joseph Mischyshyn — CC BY-SA 2.0
Bunratty Castle is a large fifteenth-century tower house in the centre of Bunratty village, County Clare, between Limerick and Ennis and near Shannon Airport. A national monument run by the county authorities, with a folk park beside it, it is among the best-known castles in Ireland thanks to its easy access. The name means mouth of the Ratty River. An old record mentions a Norse camp here destroyed by Brian Boru in 977, though its existence is not proven. Around 1250 King Henry III granted the area to Robert De Muscegros, who may have raised the first fortification. The present castle was built around 1425 and restored by the 7th Viscount Gort in 1956. From outside you see a grey rectangular stone block with four towers and high arches near the top. Inside are furnished halls and a narrow spiral stair to the top, and the roof shows the Shannon and the surrounding marshes. The yard has old cannons, a heavy wooden door and a drawbridge mechanism. The neighbouring park presents old houses and rural life. The castle is 13.2 km in a straight line north-west of Limerick and 13 km from King John's Castle. The stairs are narrow and low, so they will not suit anyone who finds climbing hard. Evening banquets here serve drinks, so ask before booking if you avoid them. It gets crowded in summer, so go in the morning.
Four towers and high arches.
The Shannon and the marshes.
Old houses and rural life.
Bunratty village, on the N18, County Clare
It is near Shannon Airport, but allow enough time for the castle and park.
They are narrow and low, so take your time and skip them if climbing is hard for you.