The castle was technically closed when I visited (August 2026), but the outer gate was still open…read moreand visitors were able to walk up to the castle, enjoy the views of the swans in the water, and appreciate the castle from both up close and from afar. The parking lot is located down the street. If time allows, I would still recommend checking out this castle and capturing some nice photos.

Wow! What a pretty…read morecastle!! It's stunning! In person it is such an amazing site. You see the castle on the mountain, and it's really pretty. I didn't have time to go close up to it. I wish we did. But we got to see it still. It's just picturesque with the backdrop. The complete package you could say.

So this castle was fully rebuilt and restored but the owner died and left it to his children. They…read moredon't use it so it sits abandoned once again. Locals say there have been rumors of it becoming and Airbnb, or a museum, but as of now, this tower sits empty. It's a beautiful view if you hike from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher, or you can drive right next to it as well. You just can't go on the property until someone buys it from the current owners.

As Maggi R. mentioned, this castle is not open to the public. However, you can drive all around it…read moreand take scenic photos for social media - don't ask me why I do this. Regardless, it is quite a sight to behold. It's VERY scenic and picturesque if you drive above it to get photos with the ocean in the background. You will have to park on one of the few shoulder spaces on the roads surrounding it to take pix of it. You won't be able to get very close to it. It's a beautiful site to see, but unless you have other business in Doolin, don't go out of your way just to view this 16th century castle. It's just not worth it. I wasted half a day to check out this castle that I could only drive around. Other than that, I don't know a whole lot more about this 16th century Irish castle. Take a pass on this one and just enjoy the photos I have uploaded here. Not much else to do in Doolin...

Well what a trip. 3 hrs from Dublin gets you to this fascinating landscape in Ireland. I was a bit…read moreconfused by the 6 euro per person charge for the car park though considering that the sign states they take no responsibility for damage to items or cars and then give u a ticket to the museum which u can just walk into and no one asks for your ticket ? Besides that though the cliffs are a wondrous sight to behold fascinating and empowers the power of the sea and its landscape. They are not closed off to pedestrians and u can literally sit on the ledges and view them. We had a nice calm day and bring comfy shoes that u dont mind getting dirty . One thing i would say is avoid eating in the cliff side restaurant as its hugely over priced 13.50 for a bowl of stew 2.50 for a small bottle of coke. The museum isnt that intresting seems very out dated. The cinema viewing area looks like something ud see on an old playstation1 . Go for the sights but leave to eat .

Came here through a tour that leaves from Dublin. It is a MUST when visiting Ireland. Beautiful…read moreviews and excellent opportunities to take pictures. The area itself may require a fee, but since I went with a tour bus, our ticket was included. There is a visitors center that has many cool souvenirs cliffs related and Ireland related. They also have restrooms for public use that are unisex, but there are plenty. The weather is ALWAYS changing, so you are just going to have to risk it making it out when the rain stops. I was lucky enough to go on a day that had some rain, but when I got there it got sunny for us for most of the time we were there. There is a tower that allows people to get a nice view, but it was not open the day that I went. I'm not sure if their hours are listed. I did hear from our tour guide that when it is open it's a couple Euro to climb and enjoy taking pics.

If you are a lover of James Joyce's writings, you might want to stop here and visit his wife and…read moremuse's childhood home. Nora Barnacle met Joyce in Dublin on June 10, 1903 and arranged to go on a date on 14th, but she blew him off saying she couldn't get away. Never a quitter, Joyce arranged for a follow up on June 16th and this time went to pick her up. For readers of Joyce's classic tome "Ulysses", June 16th will forever be known as Bloomsday. Nora's famous quote of Joyce lives on: "I mistook him for a Swedish sailor - His electric blue eyes, yachting cap and plimsolls. But when he spoke, well then, I knew him at once for just another Dublin jackeen chatting up a country girl." Though it should be noted, it took them 28 years to tie the knot and it annoyed Joyce that the media of the day made such a big deal of it. But they never got tired of celebrating June 16th! True love, eh?

Fantastic little museum! Very personal, detail oriented, with a generous guide. Highly recommend…read morevisiting for a quick stop to learn more about an interesting lady and her family!

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." -Oscar Wilde…read more Sitting on a bench in front of shop in Galway's city center, you'll find statues of Oscar Wilde and Eduard Vilde. They are posed to be looking at each other, perhaps caught in the middle of a philosophical conversation about current events though they never met in real life. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish poet, playwright, and novelist known for his satirical works including The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray. He was also a controversial figure at the time, due to his homosexuality and imprisonment for gross indecency. Eduard Vilde (1856-1933) was an Estonian journalist, critic, and novelist regarded as one of the pioneers of Estonian literature. He authored realistic books about the social and political issues of his time, such as The War of Mahtra and The Milkman of Verona. He was also a diplomat and an advocate of Estonian independence. The statues were created by Estonian sculptor Tiiu Kirsipuu in 1999, as a tribute to the two writers and their cultural connections. The original sculpture is located in Tartu, Estonia, while a replica was gifted to Galway by Estonia when it joined the European Union in 2004. [Review 1941 of 2024 - 123 in Republic of Ireland - 22963 overall]

I learned about W.B. Yeats in an Irish Literature class in college and have been obsessed with…read morevisiting this place. This tower and visitor center are located out in the beautiful countryside on a quiet lane. The staff was welcoming, even setting up the Yeats video for us to watch before our tour. Walking around the spaces that he wrote many of his best poems was inspiring, especially since they have some of the original furniture around. The stairs to head up the tower are steep and slim, so that's good to keep in mind. They do allow you on the roof, which I would recommend because we got to take in the countryside that Yeats would often view.

Open May through September, I was too early to get into the building. This tower castle was owned…read moreby the family of W.B. Yates. The poet spent a great deal of time living here throughout his life.When the building suffered flood damage several years ago, a group of W.B.Yates enthusiasts came together to raise funds to restore the tower house. It reopened in the summer 2015. This location is also famous for fans of John Wayne and specifically fans of the movie 'The Quiet Man' which was filmed in many locations around Co. Galway. Although now overgrown, Maureen O'Hara took off her stockings in what was a field behind the building, and ran across the (very low at the time) river with John Wayne not far behind. Attached to the tower is a low, thatched roof building and across the way is a low walled garden with a bridge over a stream. The path from the bridge leads to a dead end which makes me believe it is a good fishing spot just there. There is a small high walled garden at the end of the thatched structure. It's a nice drive out, and the property is quite nice to visit. There is a large parking lot on the left, just before you reach to the tower and tour buses come this way. If you are a fan of Yates, Wayne, or like to fish, take the drive through lovely countryside and visit Thoor Ballylee.

Located about 15 miles east of Galway off the M6, the Athenry Castle dates back to the 13th…read morecentury. Stone walls, a keep and the restored hall are impressive and a fabulous opportunity to look back into medieval life. Check the doorways and arches and battlements and enjoy the castle's impressive artistry. The structure stands at a ford on the Clareen River. After the castle, walk the grounds. Impeccably maintained and there is free parking. Lots of opportunity for photo ops. The Priory down the street is also impressive. If you stop and listen carefully, maybe you can hear the voices of those who were here before? [Review 1966 of 2024 - 147 in Republic of Ireland - 22988 overall]

I could not get enough of Athenry Castle. I am from Chicago, where we have 150ish years of history…read more Ireland has thousands of years of history. Athenry Castle brought history classes to life for me. When I talked with locals, they said the castle has always been there for them so they take it for granted. I walked the grounds on more than one occasion and simply could not get enough of this seemingly ancient building with so much history and energy surrounding it. Athenry Castle is worth a stop, not just for the castle, but the town arch and fences which were all part of the original layout. You can also walk the grounds, check out the cemetery and let the kids burn off any energy in the playlot that is right there.

Lots of ducking if you are over 5'0 tall, long walk down a tunnel, then many steps to the bottom,…read morethen you get to see the stalactite and it is all worth it, they give you a hard hard, not because they are nice (which they are) but because you will bump your head. Some of the passages are slightly narrow and until you get to the main cave they are very short. So walk low, make sure to wear your hard hat and you will be awed and amazed, especially when you see the tiny hole the original discoverers had to crawl though, make sure to walk around the path before or after your cave visit to see the animal the fairy village the original entrance and some beautiful scenery. Not a huge cavern but something to see when in the area. Takes about an hour down and back up, well worth the price of admission for a natural wonder,

We really enjoyed this stop. We were traveling with our 4 year old and a bit apprehensive on…read morewhether it would be manageable. Our tour guide was wonderful and really tailored his talk to things she would find interesting. There are 120 stairs to climb down (and back up!) but if a 4 year old can do it, so can you! We also had some tea and snacks at their cozy cafe. Free WIFI at the cafe. Tip: make sure you are dressed appropriately as you will get a bit muddy. There was also a nature trail to walk and lots of animals to look at.