Ross Castle

Ross Castle

A tower house by the lakes

Among the famous lakes and mountains of Killarney, in County Kerry, stands the handsome Ross Castle, reflected in the still waters of Lough Leane. A classic Irish tower house, tall and strong with rounded corner turrets, it is set in one of the most beautiful landscapes in Ireland, within Killarney National Park. Few castles enjoy so lovely a setting, surrounded by water, woods and mountains.

Stronghold of the O'Donoghues

Ross Castle was built in the late 1400s by the O'Donoghue Mór, a chieftain of the ruling Gaelic family of the area. Like other tower houses, it was both a home and a fortress, with a great hall, private chambers, winding stairs and battlements from which the family could watch over their lands and the lake.

A romantic legend says that the O'Donoghue chief still sleeps beneath the waters of the lake, and rises every seven years on a white horse to ride across its surface — a tale that adds magic to the castle's beautiful setting.

A last stand against Cromwell

Ross Castle's most famous moment came in 1652, during the conquest of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell's forces. By then most of the country had fallen, but the defenders at Ross held out in their lakeside stronghold.

An old prophecy had said that Ross Castle could never be taken until a warship sailed on the lake — something that seemed impossible. But Cromwell's commander had boats brought overland and floated on Lough Leane. When the defenders saw ships on the water, fulfilling the prophecy, their spirits broke, and the castle surrendered. Ross was one of the very last places in Ireland to give in to Cromwell's army.

In the national park

After its fighting days, Ross Castle eventually fell quiet, and in time it became part of the magnificent Killarney National Park, Ireland's first national park. Restored and cared for, it is now one of the most popular places to visit in the park, reached by a pleasant walk or drive through the woods.

From the castle, visitors can take boat trips out onto the lakes, rowing or motoring past wooded islands to other beautiful spots, just as people have travelled these waters for centuries.

A window into tower-house life

Ross Castle has been restored and furnished to show how a Gaelic chieftain's tower house would have looked, with period furniture and fittings. Guided tours climb the winding stairs through the floors, explaining daily life, defence and the clever, sometimes dangerous, design of these tall stone homes.

Visiting today

Visitors can tour the restored tower house, climb its stairs for views over the lake, and take a boat trip onto the waters of Lough Leane amid the mountains. The surrounding Killarney National Park offers woodland walks, wildlife and stunning scenery. Beautiful, historic and wrapped in legend, Ross Castle is one of the jewels of the Irish lakeland.