Trim Castle

About this place

Trim Castle is the largest Norman castle in Ireland, on the south bank of the River Boyne in the town of Trim, County Meath. It covers 30,000 square metres and is a national monument in the care of the Office of Public Works, with a massive grey stone keep at its centre that shows from far off. King Henry II granted the land to Hugh de Lacy in 1172, and he first built an earthen stronghold with a double timber palisade on high ground above a river crossing. Forces of the Irish High King burned it, and it was rebuilt in 1173. Hugh and his son Walter kept building for some 30 years, making it the seat of the Lordship of Meath. The river was navigable as far as this in medieval times. The keep stands in a wide meadow, surrounded by a long curtain wall with towers and the Dublin Gate with its arched opening. Visitors climb narrow stairs with a guide to the top, for views of the river, the town and the ruins opposite. The walls show the whole plan of the fortress. In the evening the walls are sometimes lit, giving the gates another look. The castle is 13.1 km in a straight line south-west of Navan and 41.8 km north-west of Dublin. It is closed for works from 1 November 2026 to 1 April 2027, so plan for after that. Summer is busy and access is not guaranteed, so arrive early. The stairs are narrow, so they will not suit anyone who finds climbing hard.