Dunluce Castle

Dunluce Castle

A castle on the cliff's edge

On the rugged northern coast of Antrim, in Northern Ireland, the ruins of Dunluce Castle cling to the very edge of a sheer basalt cliff, with the sea crashing far below. The castle is so close to the edge that it is reached by a bridge across a deep gap in the rock. Wild, dramatic and romantic, Dunluce is one of the most spectacular castle sites in all of Ireland, set along the famous Causeway Coast near the Giant's Causeway.

A contested stronghold

Dunluce was fought over by powerful clans. It was first built by the MacQuillan family, but in the 1500s it was seized by the MacDonnells, a fierce clan with strong ties to Scotland, who made it their main stronghold. From this cliff-top fortress they ruled the surrounding lands and the sea routes between Ireland and Scotland.

The MacDonnells strengthened and beautified the castle, and a small town even grew up beside it. Treasure salvaged from a wrecked ship of the Spanish Armada, the great fleet sent against England in 1588, is said to have helped pay for improvements to the castle.

The kitchen that fell into the sea

One of Dunluce's most famous stories tells of a night in 1639, when part of the castle — said to be the kitchens — suddenly broke away from the cliff and tumbled into the sea below, carrying servants with it. Whether or not every detail of the tale is true, it captures the danger of building a castle on such a crumbling edge, and it is said to have frightened the lady of the castle into refusing to live there any longer.

In time the MacDonnells moved to more comfortable homes, and Dunluce was gradually abandoned and left to the wind and the waves.

A castle of legend and fame

Dunluce's dramatic setting has made it famous far beyond Ireland. Its lonely ruins appeared on the cover of a famous Led Zeppelin album, and the castle has been used as a filming location, including standing in for a great stronghold in the television series Game of Thrones. Tales of ghosts and of a banshee said to haunt the towers add to its eerie romance.

Ruin and preservation

Today Dunluce is a carefully preserved ruin, its roofless towers, halls and gatehouse open to visitors. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of the lost town that once stood beside it, adding to our understanding of life at this remote and dramatic spot.

Visiting today

Visitors cross the bridge to explore the ruined towers and halls of Dunluce, with breathtaking views along the cliffs and out over the wild northern sea. The castle sits along the Causeway Coast, close to the Giant's Causeway and other wonders. Dramatic, romantic and steeped in legend, Dunluce Castle is one of the most unforgettable castle ruins in Ireland.