Dromoland Castle is a castle in County Clare, Ireland. It was built in the 16th century by the Ó Murchadha family and has been in the same family ever since.
Dromoland Castle is the largest castle in Ireland and it is a popular tourist attraction. It has been visited by over one million people since its opening in 1835. Dromoland Castle is a great place for visitors to explore and learn about Irish culture, history, traditions, and architecture.
It is also a great place for families to visit with their kids. There are many things that kids can do at Dromoland Castle including exploring the grounds, playing games, and learning about Irish culture. The castle offers many educational opportunities for kids of all ages as well!
The castle is renowned for its beautiful gardens and spectacular views over the surrounding countryside. It is an ideal destination for those who want to get away from it all and relax.
The castle has a wide variety of activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy including:
- a Victorian tea room
- a restaurant
- gardens
- a scenic view from the tower
- duck hunting
- sports center with jacuzzi
- fishing
- tennis
- horse rides
History of Dromoland Castle
The castle was the seat of eight generations of the Irish O’Brien clan. King Henry VIII granted Murrow the title of Earl of Thomond. In 1582 the English authorities confiscated Dromoland and the lands, charging Donogh Mac Murrow O’Brien with sedition. Since then, the ownership of the castle has been the subject of repeated disputes.
It was first claimed by the 4th Earl of Thomond, who argued that the castle belonged to him and not to Donoch’s son, Conor O’Brien. The dispute continued even after Conor’s death in 1604. According to his will, Conor’s eight-year-old son Donoh was to be the new owner of Dromoland. The boy’s interests were defended by his mother, Slaney O’Brien. The dispute could only be resolved through arbitration.
The castle passed to the 4th Earl of Thomond. The Dromoland litigation continued until 1684, when the castle finally passed into the ownership of Dono’s grandson, Donoch O’Brien.
Subsequent owners of Dromoland introduced changes to the architecture and landscaping of the manor. In 1821 Edward O’Brien decided to completely rebuild the building. A neo-Gothic style was chosen for the new castle. The work was completed in 1835. Towers crowned with the coat of arms of the leaders of the O’Brien clan adorned the structure, and the walls were built of dark blue limestone.
Spooky Tales and Legends of Dromoland Castle
Dromoland Castle, Ireland’s most haunted castle. It includes a ghost tour and some personal ghost stories.
The castle is now home to the most haunted hotel in Ireland, but for centuries it has been associated with paranormal activity. The ghosts that reside there are said to be benign – they just want to help people enjoy their stay at the hotel.
The spookiest tales and legends about Dromoland Castle are listed below:
- There is an old legend about a ghost known as the Grey Lady who haunts the castle.
- Another legend states that there was once a woman who lived in one of the rooms on the first floor. Her husband had to leave her when he died and she would wait for him to come back at night.
- There is also a story about two brothers who were killed fighting each other over their love for a woman – one brother won, but he found himself unable to live with her Unsafe
- There is also a legend about a woman who was killed for witchcraft – she has been seen walking up and down the stairs.
- Dromoland Castle has two towers, one of which is known as the ‘Lantern Tower’. The legend goes that there once lived an old man in this tower who was so mean to his own daughter that she ran away and married a prince, and he threw himself off the tower in frustration.
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