Visiting Dunguaire Castle in County Galway, Ireland
Dunguaire Castle is one of the most photographed castle in Ireland, so you certainly don’t want to miss it. Located just outside the village of Kinvara in County Galway, this medieval castle was at the heart of Ireland’s literary revival.
Dunguaire Castle History
The O’Hynes clan built Dunguaire Castle in 1520 on the shores of Galway Bay. The castle‘s name derives from the Dun (or fort) of King Guaire, the legendary king of Connacht, an ancestor of the O’Hynes.
In 1924, Oliver St. John Gogarty, a famous surgeon and literary figure, bought the castle and restored the tower house and curtain walls. And since Gogarty was entrenched in the Celtic revival in Irish literature, the castle soon became a popular meeting place for Ireland’s literary elite. W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, George Bernard Shaw, Edward Martin, and J.M. Synge all met here.
Now, the castle is the property of Shannon Development, and its annual Medieval Banquets follow in the tradition of King Guaire and 16th century Ireland.
Getting to Dunguaire Castle
Since this castle is located along the Wild Atlantic Way, there are plenty of big bus tours that will make a stop here; check the itinerary for tours of the Wild Atlantic Way, tours of the Burren, and tours going to the Cliffs of Moher.
And the castle is close to Galway, so it makes for a perfect day trip along with the village of Kinvara. If you want to drive to the castle yourself or take a taxi, there is a large, free parking lot located a couple hundred yards down the street, so just be prepared to walk.
Visiting Dunguaire Castle
Dunguaire Castle is open from April through mid-September from 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.
Admission costs €7.50 for adults, €5.50 for students and seniors, €5 for children ages 5-16, and free for children under 5.
With this, you can climb to the top of the tower house for amazing views of Galway Bay and Kinvara. You will also be able to tour the castle’s four floors and walk around the exterior of the castle. You’ll get the most picturesque photos of the castle from far away, though.
The castle also hosts renowned castle banquets every year. Every night from April to October, the castle staff treats guests to a delicious four-course meal full of wine, stories, history, and poetry by some of the castle’s famous guests. The banquet costs €66 for adults, €37.50 for children ages 4-10, and free for children 3 and under.
Castle Count: 12
Looking for more castles near Galway? Then definitely be sure to check out Lynch’s Castle in Galway City! Other fantastic castles like Kylemore Abbey, Bunratty Castle, and Blarney Castle are only a day trip away!
Ready to visit Dunguaire Castle in County Galway, Ireland? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Book your flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find accommodation: You can find top hotels near Dunguaire Castle or top hotels in Galway using Booking.com.
- Get packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.
Cheers!
Paige
Have you visited Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara, Ireland? Let me know about your visit in the comments!
This is a really cool looking castle. We were there off-season so it wasn’t open to go inside, but it was still neat to look at from the outside. I would love to return and see what it looks like from the inside.We had an easy time parking, but there were quite a few people there even though it wasn’t open.
It’s definitely worth stopping by again sometime so you can see inside!
This castle looks amazing! Ireland has been on my bucket list for a long time. I can’t wait to go some day.
Ireland is my favorite country to visit! You’ll love it 🙂