Malahide Castle, Malahide, Ireland

Malahide Castle (Irish: Caisleán Mhullach Íde), parts of which date to the 12th century, lies, with over 260 acres (1.1 km2) of remaining estate parkland (the Malahide Demesne Regional Park), close to the village of Malahide, nine miles (14 km) north of Dublin in Ireland.

The estate began in 1185, when Richard Talbot, a knight who accompanied Henry II to Ireland in 1174, was granted the 'lands and harbour of Malahide'. The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 12th century and it was home to the Talbot family for 791 years, from 1185 until 1976, the only exception being the period from 1649–60, when Oliver Cromwell granted it to Miles Corbet after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland; Corbet was hanged following the demise of Cromwell, and the castle was restored to the Talbots. The building was notably enlarged in the reign of Edward IV, and the towers added in 1765.

The estate survived such losses as the Battle of the Boyne, when fourteen members of the owner"s family sat down to breakfast in the Great Hall, and all were dead by evening, and the Penal Laws, even though the family remained Roman Catholic until 1774.

In the 1920s the private papers of James Boswell were discovered in the castle, and sold to American collector Ralph H. Isham by Boswell"s great-great-grandson Lord Talbot de Malahide.

Malahide Castle and Demesne was eventually inherited by the 7th Baron Talbot and on his death in 1973, passed to his sister, Rose. In 1975, Rose sold the castle to the Irish State, partly to fund inheritance taxes. Many of the contents, notably furnishings, of the castle had been sold in advance leading to considerable public controversy, but private and governmental parties were able to retrieve some. Rose Talbot, one of the last surviving members of the Talbot family died at Malahide House, Tasmania in 2009. Her closest relatives, who married into the German surname Dietsch, travelled to Canada and the United States of America. Members of the Dietsch family still live in the USA and Canada today.

Address

Dublin Road , Malahide, Ireland

See all sites in Malahide

Details

Founded: 1185
Category: Castles and fortifications in Ireland

More Information

www.sezamki.eu
www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Suweidu Abdulai (2 months ago)
Beautiful place. Love the castle and the gardens. I will recommend this place. You can also get some food or coffee over there.

Alicia Casu (4 months ago)
Nice experience but it didn’t leave me speechless. It’s Well organised and it’s very safe inside. Went there the last Sunday and it wasn’t crowded. On internet the ticket costs 2€ more because of the tax, while buying the ticket there the price is normal and you can pay with cc or cash. From my point of view the ticket price is expensive for the experience offered. It should cost 15€ max or at least add something wow to the experience for 25€ ticket. The experience overall didn’t impress me.

Jennifer (4 months ago)
I had a wonderful time at Malahide Castle & Gardens, we visiting for my birthday a little while ago. Getting there was easy, with a short train ride from Dublin followed by a pleasant walk to the castle (just follow google maps and you cannot miss it). The gardens were absolutely stunning, with plenty to explore. There were also several shops and a cantine, making it easy to grab a snack or find a souvenir. The castle itself is accessible only via guided tours, and our guide was incredibly knowledgeable. The stories about the castle's history and past inhabitants were fascinating, but what stood out most were (spoiler) the tales of people sensing the presence of a little girl—those gave me chills in the best way! After the tour, we explored the fairy trail, which turned out to be a delightful surprise with so many squirrels running around—it was such a cute little experience! The butterfly house, however, was a bit disappointing. It was quite small, and seeing butterflies being caught by visitors or already injured took away from the joy of the visit :( Overall, it was a memorable and unique experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area, especially for its rich history and enchanting gardens!

Damião O’Deoraín (5 months ago)
A fabulous place to visit from the simple walking around the extensive grounds or taking a tour of the castle itself or visit Avoca to shop. It's a place I've been often and is worth a visit all year around. I've just been to the Winter Wonder lights and it was magical for the young and the old and looking forward to experiencing it again.

Anna (6 months ago)
Beautiful castle... Got there after hours but still so much to see. Walked around and enjoyed the views

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Andy Hay

Historic Site of the week

Argos Theater

The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.

The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.

Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.

Malahide Castle