July 30, 2015, 11:33

Lip Castle was built in the 15th century and for many centuries was a fortress that served as a stronghold for the entire county. The castle is located on the edge of a picturesque hill, from where you can see the entire surrounding area, which is undoubtedly very convenient for a defensive structure.

Throughout its existence, Lip Castle was repeatedly destroyed, but subsequently it was always restored.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it survived a serious fire, after which it has not been fully restored to this day.

Now Lip Castle is privately owned, restoration work is ongoing. Sometimes tourist groups are allowed into the castle, and lovers of mystical tours are also allowed access.

Leap Castle in Offaly, Ireland is said to be one of the most cursed castles in the world. The castle is really teeming with ghosts and demons.

At Leap Castle big story murders and tortures committed here. Over 400 years ago, it was the stronghold of the powerful and vicious Ocarrol family. They hired soldiers to commit murders on their orders, and when they came to them for pay, they themselves were also killed, in the family castle of Ocarrol.

There was a special room in the castle. It was a small room without a floor, which was directly above the dungeon. If the Okaroll family needed to kill someone, they would invite the victim into this room, and when the person was least expected, they would push him in the back and fall down into the stone bag. The worst thing was that the victim fell into the dungeon, which was filled with wooden spikes. So, the victim, pierced by a wooden thorn, was slowly dying below, and the Okaroll family heard the screams of the unfortunate man for a long time, which echoed through the castle.

When workers were cleaning out the castle in the 1900s, they discovered this hidden dungeon. They were shocked to see hundreds of human skeletons lying there on top of each other. It took three carts filled to capacity to take out the bones of all the dead.

At one time, Leap Castle was a fierce struggle between two brothers of the Ocarroll family. One brother was a soldier and the other a priest. Tensions between the brothers grew, and one terrible night, tragedy struck. A priest was holding mass in the chapel when his brother suddenly burst in and attacked him.

He pierced his brother priest with a sword in the heart, and he died right on the altar, in front of the whole family. In itself, fratricide is a terrible sin, and the fact that the murder took place during a religious ceremony turned this act into a real blasphemy. Since then, the room in which the priest died has been called the "Bloody Chapel", and the castle is believed to have been cursed.

A few years ago, a man was standing near Blood Chapel and saw a ghost who was dressed as a priest. The ghost approached him, and then suddenly disappeared right in front of him.

In 1659, according to local legend, the daughter of the head of the Ocarroll family fell in love with an Englishman named Darby, who was held captive by her family in a dungeon. She secretly brought him food, and in the end helped him escape. She fled with her lover, but on the way they got her brother. He raised the alarm and Darby immediately drove his sword into him. The lovers jumped off the castle wall and fled. After the murder of her brother, the runaway girl became the heiress of Leap Castle.

Years later, another girl lived at Leap Castle. Her father wanted her to marry the son of a rich gentleman, but she was in love with a poor boy from a local farm. When her father caught them together, he killed the young man she loved. One night, when her father was sleeping, the girl came to his room and avenged her lover by killing him. The next day, she threw herself off the castle wall and crashed. It is believed that her ghost roams the castle every night, mourning her love.

One girl who visited the castle in our time saw a girl dressed in old clothes on the stairs. Then the girl vanished into thin air. There was another case when a woman was walking around the castle and saw a girl who jumped off the castle wall. The woman screamed in horror, but the girl vanished into thin air before she fell to the ground.

At the end of the 19th century, Jonathan and Mildred Darby lived in the castle. Mildred Darby became very interested in the history of the castle. She was especially interested in stories about ghosts and the curse of the castle. She began to study the occult and even began to conduct magical rituals in the dungeon castle.

It is said that during her occult experiments, Mildred Darby accidentally awakened a ferocious demon. One night, she was standing in the gallery and felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a terrible creature behind her. It was a small, hunched figure that was half human, half animal. He had a thin, black face, and instead of eyes there were only dark hollows. The terrible smell coming from the creature was similar to the smell of a decomposed corpse.

After Mrs. Darby's experiments, Leap Castle was doomed. It burned down under mysterious circumstances and has been abandoned for more than 70 years. Nowadays, locals in Offaly avoid visiting Leap Castle after sunset for fear of confronting the evil that lurks in its ruins.

Many have heard eerie moans and cries at night, and have seen lights at the top of the castle. At night, people saw the lights go on in the Bloody Chapel, thousands of candles were lit there at the same time. Some daredevils who dared to walk around the castle at night came across an unknown ghost of a lady dressed in a red dress.

A ghostly hooded face has also been seen. And from the room in the dungeon, terrible moans are still heard.

Stunningly beautiful, it is famous not only for its wonderful natural landscapes, but also for its numerous castles, the history of which is inextricably linked with the history of the country, its sorrows and joys. Almost any medieval castle Ireland is covered with mystical charm, its history contains a lot of mysteries and secrets, sometimes creepy and paranormal. Ireland is a country where there is a lot - the shadows of a bloody past and to this day reminding living people of themselves. A lot of these ancient castles today have become or museums, and yet, they have retained a share of mystery and mystery. We have made a selection of the most interesting ancient castles in Ireland and tried to tell their fascinating ancient history.

Ashford Castle

Ashford Castle is one of the most beautiful historical sights in the western part of Ireland. It stands at the confluence of the Cong River into Loch Corrib, right on the border of the two counties of Mayo and Galway. Ashford Castle began to be built in 1228 for representatives of the aristocratic family of the Normans de Burgh, later the spelling of their surname was changed to "Burk". The powerful medieval castle belonged to this powerful family for three and a half centuries, which proudly called itself the descendants of the native Irish and did not recognize the power of the British in any way. Since 1584, Richard Bingham became governor of the province of Connacht, where the castle stood. He was a rather cruel man, many noble families of the region rose up against him, including de Burki. Then Sir Bingham sentenced several representatives of this clan to be hanged at once. In 1587, the opposing forces entered into a peace agreement, and two years later Bingham took possession of Ashford Castle, making it a well-fortified enclave, where he was a real "king" and could do various cruelties. The Queen of England soon grew weary of the regular complaints about Bingham's atrocities, causing even more unrest in Ireland, and ordered to leave this territory. In the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the ancient castle of Ashford was purchased by Baron Oranmore Brown, who redesigned the ancient fortification, making it an elegant French-style palace. Since 1852, this aristocratic Irish estate was bought by a local businessman, Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, a descendant of the man who opened the famous Guinness brewery. In addition to increasing finances, this man loved to conduct archaeological research, he made a huge contribution to the cultural component of the region, taking many useful steps to preserve ancient Irish attractions. He bought the territory surrounding the castle, planted a forest there, made excellent roads, and also added two more extensions to the building in the fashionable Victorian style at that time. After his death, the castle was inherited by Arthur Edward Guinness, who in 1880 received the title of "Lord Ardilon" from Queen Victoria for philanthropic services to the country. The new owner was very fond of Ashford Castle, he continued the work of his father, expanded and equipped the vast forest land, and also rebuilt one wing of the building to his own taste. And yet, the baron, who was a businessman, sponsored navigation on Loch Corriba, and now small steamers could move between settlements located on the shore of the lake, stopping by the city of Galway. In 1939, the descendants of Lord Ardilon sold the castle to the Irish businessman Haggard, who turned ancient building to a great hotel. The people were happy to come to these Beautiful places, because in addition to living, such entertainments as hunting in the richest forest lands and fishing for salmon and trout in the waters of the lake were offered here. Since 1970, Ashford Castle has been taken over by millionaire John Mulcahy, who often visited these places and simply fell in love with the beautiful castle. This man decided that the castle needed restoration, he invested a fortune in increasing the scale of the building, updating the gardens, lawns, made a huge golf course on the shores of Loch Corrib. In 2007, the castle hotel was purchased by Irish businessman Gerry Barrett.

Today, the magnificent Ashford Castle Hotel attracts tourists with its graceful medieval battlements, beautiful parapets, numerous galleries, and lancet windows. To get to the gate, you need to cross the bridge over the Kong River, crowned with watchtowers on both sides. No less delighted guests and the interior of the castle interiors. There are eighty-five rooms, and all of them are luxuriously decorated, furnished with antique furniture, decorated with filigree wood carvings, works of world art. Each hotel room is unique, its decor is original and inimitable. It is not for nothing that representatives of the royal and aristocratic families of Europe, famous world celebrities often stop at this hotel. Hotel praise should be given to the castle cuisine and a chic restaurant located in the "George V Hall". The restaurant is run by chef Stefan Matz, who received the title of "Best Chef in Ireland" in 2010. The restaurant can serve one hundred and fifty guests at the same time, they are located in the "winter" hall, from the windows of which there are panoramas of the lake and the river. There is also a "summer" Connaught Hall, which can serve fifty people at the same time. Here, the interior is more comfortable and soft, there is a fireplace, the walls are decorated with carved wooden panels.

So that the guests of Ashford Castle do not get bored, they are offered training at the local School of Falconry, located on its territory, more precisely, next to Loch Corrib. Here you can have fun with traditional local amusements - fishing, walking along forest paths and gardens, take horseback riding lessons, take a lake cruise on the Lady Ardilon ferry, play tennis, golf, shoot skeet, taste wines, seafood, visit the SPA center, sauna, jacuzzi, exercise in the fitness room. If you wish, the hotel staff will organize a whole adventure for you - a helicopter tour over Ashford Castle, a flight over the city of Galway, an acquaintance with the Moer Rocks, the lands of Connemara. If you do not have an extra two hundred euros, and it is from this amount that the fee for one night's stay at the hotel starts, then you can visit the castle absolutely free of charge, and you will be guided around it by local employees at a low negotiated price.

Ashford Castle Hotel Address: Ireland, Cong, CoMayo.

Manderley Castle

This is an absolutely charming historical landmark of the Irish capital - Dublin, on this moment owned by the singer Enya, was previously called Victoria Castle, but was renamed by an eccentric new mistress. The charming building Victoria Castle in medieval style with battlements and a magnificent garden around was erected in 1840 and timed to coincide with the day of the ascension to the throne of Queen Victoria of England. The architect was Robert Warren. The castle was surrounded by magnificent gardens, which occupied fourteen thousand square meters, and from the lancet windows of the castle one could see the Irish coast, all the way to the lands of Wales. From the fortress under the gardens there was a secret passage leading to Killiney Beach, however, now this tunnel is walled up. The interiors of the castle were magnificent and opulent, they were decorated unique masterpieces art. Unfortunately, in 1928 there was a strong fire in the castle, during which almost everything burned out. The restoration of the castle was taken up by the architect Thomas Power, who renamed the building "Ayesha Castle", alluding to the goddess from the novel, who was reborn from the fire element. In 1995, the owners of the castle, representatives of the Aylmer family, arranged residential apartments and a gallery in the former stables, which was called the Horse Gallery, in order to attract tourists. There opened an exhibition of works by Irish and European painters.

Since 1997, the castle has been owned by the Irish singer Enya. She paid great attention to her safety in this huge building: she surrounded the castle with a real fortress wall three meters high, replaced the gate. Despite this, in 2005 robbers tried to enter Manderly Castle twice, and both times the mistress was at home. Fortunately, the robbery attempts failed. Despite the fact that today Manderly Castle is a private area, many tourists say that they managed to visit it through a direct agreement with the singer Enya. If you have a desire, then try to visit it and you.

Manderley Castle is located at: Ireland, Dublin, Ard Mhuire Park Killiney.

Blarney Castle

This ancient castle is one of the symbols of freedom-loving Ireland, located in the village of the same name, Blarney, in the suburbs of small town Cork. Blarney Castle was erected in 1446 on the site of an earlier fortification, built in 1210, which later replaced a flimsy wooden structure of the tenth century. The castle was built by Dermot McCarthy, he built a very powerful five-story fortress with thick walls, a branched network of secret underground passages and hidden caves, so that in the event of a siege of Blarney, the owners could quickly hide without endangering their lives. These secret passages served very well for the owners of the castle in the seventeenth century, when Lord Broghill besieged the fortress and even managed to break through these powerful walls inside, but what was his surprise when, having got into the castle territory, he did not find a single living souls, and besides, all the valuables were also taken out of Blarney by the owners.

The guides will tell you numerous real stories and legends related to the castle. One of them is the story of how the owner of Blarney Castle was able to refuse the transfer of ownership of the building to the powerful Queen of England, Elizabeth the First. According to the stories, the queen dreamed of getting this magnificent castle into her possession, and the desire of the ruler in those years was the law. But, the wise owner of Blarney was not ready to give away his ancestral property, although he also did not dare to say so openly. When another envoy came from the queen on this issue, he cordially greeted him with feasts, treats, hunting, gifts, said a lot of amenities, sent letters to the queen with many compliments, assurances of eternal devotion, but he did not offer to accept the desired gift - Blarney Castle. Since then in English language a new term "to blarney" was introduced, that is, "to flatter" - to have sweet but useless conversations.

The second legend associated with Blarney Castle is the famous “Blarney Stone” - “Blarney Stone is the main attraction of the region, located on the top of one of the towers. The Blarney Stone or the "Stone of Eloquence" is overgrown with more than one myth, moreover, they are all different and do not reveal the essence of the appearance of this artifact. They say that this stone was presented to one of the owners of the castle by an Irish witch, to whom he turned to help him win a hopeless lawsuit in court. This man was tongue-tied and did not at all hope to win the dispute, but after he kissed the stone he received from the sorceress, he was able to charm the judges with his ornate speeches and won a stunning victory in the court, protecting his property. As for the “Stone of Eloquence” itself, it was a part of the famous Skoon stone, previously the coronation of the kings of England and Scotland was carried out on it. The legend of its acquisition is interesting: for many years the daughter Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II traveled along different countries, looking for heaven on earth, but found it in Northern Ireland. The princess never parted with her talisman, a sandstone stone, which, according to the Bible, was Jacob's pillow, it was on it that he saw a dream about angels ascending the stairs to heaven. When the princess of Egypt died, the stone was deposited in the Scottish abbey of Scoon. Part of this stone was given to the ancestor of the castle's builder, Demort McCarthy, after he helped King Robert the Bruce win the Battle of Bannockburn. Subsequently, during the construction of Blarney, part of the Skoon Stone was built into one of the walls of the tower, moreover, at its very top. Since then, the belief has been firmly entrenched behind the stone that any person who kisses it will gain the gift of eloquence. But in order to kiss a stone, you will have to try: climb to the very top of the tower - its fifth floor, bend incredibly and, holding on to the handrails, make a kiss.

Today, Blarney Castle is a fairly well-preserved square fortress keep, with powerful walls, fortified with towers at four corners. But the interior has not survived to this day, although the guides tell in detail about all the premises: they will show you where the Blarney owner's chambers were, the rooms of his entourage, guest bedrooms, and also a secret room for the killers, servants were hiding there, always ready by order of the owner kill an unwanted guest.

On the territory of Blarney Castle there is a very beautiful house in the Gothic style "Blarney House", built in the eighteenth century, however, the original building burned out in a fire in 1820, and the new one was restored a little to the side in 1874. It is open to tourists from April to May on Fridays and Saturdays.

The garden of Blarney Castle is another rather mysterious place where some kind of mystical atmosphere is felt. Here are such artifacts as: "Rock Close" - an ancient altar of the pagans, the Circle of Druids, the Witches' Kitchen. interesting place is the “Witches Staircase” - this is a green split rock, inside which you can go along slippery steps, and you need to do this after making a wish and closing your eyes, so that during your passage up the stairs the little elves will fulfill your plan. The gardens around Blarney Castle appeared in the eighteenth century, they were laid out between centuries-old oaks, intertwining corners of nature with man-made masterpieces of landscape design. It is allowed to have picnics in the castle garden, so there are always a lot of vacationers here. In the castle itself, newlyweds are allowed to take photos for free.

You can visit Blarney Castle every day from nine in the morning to seven in the evening on summer days and until half past six on winter days. The day off is the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth of December. Entrance ticket to Blarney Castle: adult - ten euros; children from eight to fourteen years old - three and a half euros. Entrance to the castle park is free.

Blarney Castle Address: Ireland, Blarney Village.

Bunratty Castle

The massive and formidable medieval Bunratty Castle is located in County Clare in the village of the same name Bunratty near the city of Shannon. This fortress has a long history. Back in 1425, it was erected by the Irish clan McNamara on the site of the citadel of the former trading town of the Vikings, built in the tenth century. Then more castles were built here in 1250 and 1318, which were also destroyed. And the castle that we see now is the last fourth version of the structure, which managed to resist and survive well to this day. Some time passed after construction and the castle was in the possession of the O "Brien family. The building was badly damaged in 1641 during the Irish uprising, but it was restored five years later. From the eighteenth century, the Studdert family owned Bunratty Castle. At the beginning of the nineteenth century they left fortress in order to move to a more comfortable and elegant palace, and the ancient building gradually began to collapse from lack of care and timely repairs.

Already today, the castle was recognized as an object cultural heritage, in the period from 1945 to 1954, the state carried out a global restoration there so that it could regain all its medieval splendor. Its interiors were filled with antique furniture, household and art objects, priceless tapestries, and the rooms and halls were returned to the original luxurious decor that characterizes the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Any piece of art here is supplemented with an information plate about its origin. To date, Bunratty Castle is considered one of the best preserved in Ireland, where the richest collection medieval furniture and tapestries. Often in its chic halls there are feasts in the medieval style.

Tourists are happy to get acquainted not only with the castle, but with the village where it stands, because here they have the opportunity to visit local farms and fishermen's houses, learn about traditional crafts for the area, take pictures in national costumes, taste amazing dishes, watch historical scenes, which often go to the castle for the entertainment of guests. It is very pleasant to stroll through the garden surrounding the castle, it was created in a strict Victorian style, there are many flowers, fruits and vegetables.

The castle is open every day from nine in the morning until four in the evening, and the park is open until half past six in the evening. The price of a ticket with an included excursion for an adult is fifteen euros, for children - nine euros, for students - ten euros.

Island Castle McDermott's Castle

The very beautiful and incredibly romantic McDermott Castle is located within the miniature green island of Castle, which grew up in the middle of the picturesque Loch Key, in the Irish county of Roscommon, not far from the town of Boyle. The round lake stretches for ten kilometers, and thirty small islands are scattered over its entire surface. By the way, there is an interesting local legend about the appearance of this reservoir. It is said that the lake was created by the Druid deity of Nuada named Ki, who was injured during the mythological Second Battle of the village of Moitur and fled to seek refuge to heal. After a short trip to the south, he saw a beautiful flowering valley, then lay down on the ground and fell asleep soundly. Suddenly, water from underground sources began to rise rapidly and in a matter of minutes covered both the green meadow and the god sleeping on it. There is a lake here.

Gradually, people began to settle on some of its islets. So, according to the ancient written sources of the Annals of Loch Key, it is known that two Irish clans MacDermott and MacGreevy occupied Castle Island at once. Soon a powerful castle grew here, which was first called "McGreevy", but, as the annals say, then this family nest began to be named after the name of the MacDermott clan. Here you can also read about the constant struggle and battles for possession of the castle and the island, most likely representatives of the McDermott family recaptured the fortress. The same chronicle says that in 1184 this castle was engulfed in a powerful fire after a lightning strike and the building - a fortress with jagged semicircular turrets - was almost completely burned out in the fire.

The next castle was built on the site of a burned down one at the end of the twelfth century. It is said that in the Middle Ages between the two warring McDermott families and the MacCostello clan, who settled on another island, there was a tragic episode, reminiscent of the story of Romeo and Juliet. The owner's daughter Una McDermott lived in the castle, who fell in love with boyfriend Thomas McCostello, but when her parents found out about their relationship, they forbade them to meet, and Una's parents were sent to a deserted remote island of the lake. But the couple in love did not stop seeing each other secretly: every day Thomas swam across the lake from his island to a lonely island to see Una. But the sad existence of the girl away from her relatives and longing for her beloved did not last long, and she died. She was buried on Trinity Island, and Thomas continued to sail here to the grave of his beloved. Late autumn came, the water in the lake was already very cold, but the young man did not give up his swimming venture until he fell ill with pneumonia and died. In his dying fever, he asked Una's father for the right to be buried next to his daughter in order to be together, if not in this life, then in a better one. The father agreed, and two rose bushes were planted over the graves of the lovers, which soon intertwined, showing all the living the inviolability of love bonds even after death. To this day, tourists can still see quite strongly overgrown rose thickets on Trinity Island.

In an interesting verse poem dating back to the fifteenth century, one can read about the local sorceress Hag Lok Klu, better known in these lands as the "Old Woman of Loch Kee", who found a way of a comfortable and well-fed existence: she made a vow on the owner of the island and castle, Cormac McDermott eternal hospitality.

The historical documents further state that the McDermotts lost this island and the castle on it in the seventeenth century, when the English protector Cromwell came to Ireland with his troops. McDermott Castle went into the department of the English crown. True, already in the next century lightning hit the building and it burned out again, leaving picturesque ruins as a reminder of itself. At the end of the eighteenth - beginning of the nineteenth century, a residence house and a park for country recreation were built for the English royal family on the island, but this building also burned out during the Second World War.

As for the members of the McDermott family, they moved to Rockingham Manor nearby. This house was surrounded by a picturesque wooded area and a park where beautiful lake. That part of the territory also passed into the possession of the crown, when the Lough Key recreation and entertainment park was laid out here, occupying eight hundred hectares of area. The old observation tower Moylurg, of the McDermott family, also turned out to be on the territory of the park, just on the site of the house of this clan, which burned down in 1957, because it was one of its parts. Still, there is a stone throne-chair, many secret underground passages, labyrinths that entangled the area. There is an old dilapidated church here. Getting acquainted with the local park, tourists must reach the Trinity Bridge, built in 1836, and also look into the stone "Garden of God". McDermott Castle itself is an absolutely charming ruin and one of the most beautiful and romantic attractions in Ireland.

McDermott Island Castle Address: Ireland, Lough Key, County Roscommon.

Menlo Castle

Ireland is the birthplace of numerous warlike clans that in ancient times fought for power with swords in their hands, and in order to protect their families and supporters, they had to build powerful fortresses. But other families, no less thirsty for power, were always ready to take their place, who sought to destroy the castles created by previous feudal lords, expand their former possessions, in order to strengthen their clan and dynasty. One of these representatives of the formidable and implacable clan is Sir Richard Caddell, who was one of the Knights of the Round Table under King Arthur, and for his unusually dark skin color received the nickname "Black". He arrived on the Irish island during the first wave of the Anglo-Norman migration in 1169, and in order to finally take root here, he married a local girl, Mirabella, who was the daughter of a local feudal lord, Richard De Burke. Cadell soon became sheriff of Connaught, and all his progeny subsequently occupied the highest positions. Cadell decided to build a family estate and his castle in Menlo, near the city of Galway and the Corrib River. In the city of Galway there were fourteen large and influential families that ran all the affairs of the region, and, naturally, their representatives were related to each other through marriages, over the centuries becoming almost a single clan.

In the sixteenth century, Menlo Castle, after improvements and reconstructions, became a powerful fortress-city with fourteen ramparts, gates, streets. The city of Galway itself prospered, engaging in extensive trade with other countries. Due to the unusually strategically advantageous location of the castle on the river bank, in the middle of the seventeenth century, Cromwell's troops tried to capture Menlo Castle, but, fortunately, they soon lifted the siege and left, and civilians did not suffer.

In Irish history of the late nineteenth-twentieth century, one of the representatives of the genus very clearly captured himself - the mystical Sir Valentine Black, whom people gave the nickname - "Master Menlo", and spoke of him as the Irish "Bluebeard", because the wives of this man : Mary Martin, Ellinor Lynch - died suddenly of unknown causes. Soon, there were no more people who wanted to marry the strange owner of Menlo Castle. And only seven years later, Mary French agreed to marry him. In general, Sir Valentine was a rather respectable gentleman, he worked as a surgeon. But it was only a beautiful facade, because everything looked different inside the castle walls. It is said that he had a very difficult relationship with his father, who adhered to the Catholic faith, and in order to hide this, Sir Valentine last years his father's life did not let him out to the people, saying that he had become demented. Dying, his father bequeathed to bury himself according to Catholic canons, but the son did everything exactly the opposite: he arranged a funeral according to Protestant rites, and when the inhabitants of Galway and Menlo came to the farewell ceremony for the deceased, he publicly declared that his father was crazy, then the townspeople, who knew him as a very kind and sensible person, left the funeral, a big scandal immediately erupted. During these trials and scandals, the tombstone was placed not at the head of the deceased, but at the feet. This was not corrected in the future, and, as the locals say, it became the trigger for the tragic events that happened next and the revenge of the offended soul of the deceased father.

It must be said that Sir Valentine only had three children: his two grown-up sons died, the youngest daughter got married and moved to another city, only the youngest crippled daughter Miss Helen remained with her father, suffering from rheumatism and practically unable to move independently. The father often insulted his daughter, breaking down on her for all his life's failures. And she gradually fell ill with mental illness, then they began to lock her in a room, not letting people out. Two servants, Anna and Delia, were assigned to the unfortunate girl to help her if necessary. On June 26, 1910, Sir Valentine and his wife went to Dublin for the night, and at five o'clock in the morning his daughter's room was on fire. The coachman Kirvan, who lived in a room on the second floor, heard the desperate cries of the servants, but could not go up the stairs to the apartment of the master's daughter, because everything was already on fire, then he went down the walls, covered with ivy, along the outer wall, climbing out of the window of his rooms. He ran around the castle to see how much the building was on fire and realized with horror that the entire part overlooking the river was on fire. Suddenly he saw on the roof two rushing figures of maids who asked to help them. Local residents had already fled to the castle, who brought a ladder, but it did not reach the roof, the girls' clothes had already begun to smolder, then bales of straw were piled below, they were ordered to jump down. Delia jumped off first, but she landed next to the straw and immediately fell to her death. Anna hit the straw and landed on her feet, she was alive, but in poor condition, so the girl was urgently sent to the hospital. Her further fate unknown.

When Sir Valentine returned from Dublin, the news struck him on the spot, he fell ill and became seriously ill. A few days passed and "Master Menlo" died, what is most surprising is that the tombstone on his grave was also set the other way around, like that of his father. What was it: a coincidence or revenge of the locals for disrespect for their father? Now no one can answer for sure. It was rumored that the fire happened as a punishment from heaven for the mysterious deaths of the wives of the Bluebeard, for the disregard for the will of the father and the bad attitude towards the unfortunate daughter.

Today, completely picturesque ruins remain from the castle, covered with a pillow of green ivy. Tourists come here to look at this romantic attraction near the river. Many locals have picnics here, although they say that it is better to leave this place before dark, because on strange, disembodied shadows can be seen mourning their fate. Maybe one of them is the ghost of Sir Valentine's daughter Ellen, who was never buried due to the fact that her corpse was never found, and the other two are his spouses, who are said to have been killed by an insidious spouse in Menlo Castle. Be that as it may, this place is full of secrets and mystical charm, and it is definitely worth a visit while in Ireland.

Enniskillen Castle

Beautiful and stately, besides, the well-preserved Irish castle of Enniskillen stands in the county of Fermanagh on the banks of the River Erne. It was built by the leader of the Gaelic clan, Hugh Maguire, in order to control the neighboring territories of the northwest, and to protect representatives of his kind from attacks by warlike neighbors. The powerful walls of the first building - a square tower - held the defense quite well, and this reliability made Enniskillen Castle the center of power and power in Fermanagh. Scientists to this day cannot accurately determine the date of construction of the castle, they can only judge that in the first written sources dated 1439, it is already mentioned as a formidable stronghold and reliable citadel. The builder of this castle and the founder of the clan died in 1428. The next leader, who is absolutely known to researchers, was a representative of the same clan from Enniskillen - Sean Maguire, who was elected in 1484. During the centuries of its existence, the castle was improved and strengthened, its appearance changed. This was due to the urgent need to keep an endless defense, because the castle stood in a strategically important place and there was always a confrontation for it. That is why the leaders of the clan constantly had to come up with new ways to protect and strengthen the fortress walls. The county was regularly subjected to enemy attacks, and Enniskillen Castle could not be left out. He suffered especially during the Irish Wars, when the local population heroically resisted the capture of their territories by the British. It is known that they managed to capture this fortress after a week-long siege in 1594. The castle suffered no less from the intrigues of politicians that reigned around, so it was involuntarily drawn into a long nine-year war from the end of the sixteenth century.

Since 1607, the leader of the clan named Kuhonnakt was expelled from Ireland for treason, and his possessions, including Enniskillen Castle and lands, were given by the English conquerors to the city constable, Sir William Cole. The new owner began to rebuild the castle to his liking. He erected the Watergate structure, which was completed on both sides by round towers. Now it is not known for certain why this building was erected, but presumably there was a drawbridge that has not survived to this day, that is, the structure was a powerful gate. Other researchers say that most likely it was not a bridge, but a tower for defense. Whatever it was, today Watergate, with a flag depicting St. George towering over it, is a symbol of this Irish county.

Soon, Ireland became a military base for the Kingdom of Spain, as a result, the castle was increased in size to accommodate more soldiers' barracks, as well as an armory. From the nineteenth century, the British captured the fortress and from there resisted the advance of the French. The castle was equipped with modern defensive structures at that time, including watchtowers, stronger walls, and additional barracks and stables for their horses were built for the large British garrison. The military stood here until 1950.
Today, Enniskillen Castle is a popular museum in Ireland, where you can learn about the history of County Fermanagh, the ancient town of Enniskillen, and the military affairs of this country. In addition, there is a museum of royal shooters - the "Regimental Museum of Inniskilling". In the castle-museum, tourists can see interesting household items, clothes and furniture that belonged to people who once lived in this castle. Very interesting are the collections of Irish lace, pottery, weapons and military uniforms.

Enniskillen Castle can be visited:
- From May to June, in September - Monday, Saturday - from two days to five in the evening; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening. Sunday is a day off.
- From July to August - Monday, Saturday, Sunday - from two in the afternoon to five in the evening; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening.
- From October to April - Monday from two in the afternoon to five in the evening; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - from ten in the morning to five in the evening; Saturday and Sunday are days off. Ticket for adults - four euros; for children, students, pensioners - three euros.

Address Enniskillen Castle: town of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

King John's Castle in Limerick

This ancient castle of the thirteenth century stands in the city of Limerick on the territory of the "King's Island". The building was built for King John the Landless in the middle of an island created by the natural bends of the rivers Shannon and Abbey. The castle replaced the flimsy earthen mounds that once served to protect the local population. Of course, the original building changed over time, it increased in size, improved in terms of fortifications. It wasn't long before the Royal Castle of Limerick became the most impregnable British stronghold in the west of Ireland. Despite this, in 1642 this amazing example of the Norman fortification was devastated during the capture of Ireland by Cromwell and his troops. Not far from the castle, if you go to the other side of the river through Thomond Bridge, there is a monument in the form of a stone, reminding posterity that the Treaty of Limerick was signed here during the battle of two kings, which took place from 1690 to 1961.

Today, the Castle of King John the Landless has become a museum. The fact is that some time ago they wanted to open a tourist information center here, but when they started digging the ground for some buildings, they discovered that here, under the thickness of the soil, there are well-preserved Viking houses, their household items, and decorations. Weapons from antiquity were found in the form of rams and catapults, the remains of people who died during the capture of Limerick by Cromwell, and military barracks. That is why it was decided to open a museum at this castle, so that tourists can get acquainted with the history of the city of Limerick and all of Ireland, see the reconstructed Viking dwellings, medieval castle fortifications.

The exposition of the castle is divided into several zones: archaeological - these are excavations conducted in the open air; underground - already excavated historical architectural objects - ruins and fragments of premises, dwellings, fortress walls. IN information center visitors can see a mock-up of the city of Limerick and its castle during their heyday. Another large area is the Royal Castle itself, with its large courtyard and observation towers, as well as the fortress wall.

The price of the entrance ticket is nine euros. The castle is open daily from ten in the morning to five in the evening. Days off: December twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth.

Address of the castle of King John the Landless: Ireland, County Limerick, city of Limerick, St. Nicholas Street.

Belfast Castle

Very beautiful, as if descended from the page of fairy tales, the castle stands on a hill above the city of Belfast, being its most popular symbol. Belfast Castle is surrounded by beautifully manicured Cavehill Park.

The first wooden castle was built by the Norman knight John de Courcy at the end of the twelfth century after the capture of the kingdom of Ulster that existed on these lands. But the Normans were not the first to notice these places, because on the slopes of Cave Hill, pitted with caves, people began to settle in the Bronze Age. To this day, scientists discover buildings there that are several thousand years old. The ancient cities and dwellings of the Celts have long since become ruins when the English and Normans came to Ireland. Returning to the history of the original fortress, it did not stand for a long time, because it burned out in a fire, but tourists can see its model in the castle museum. After the loss of the fortress, the British decided that it would be more reliable to build a stone castle, but it also stood for no more than a century and also burned out in a fire, and a street remained in honor of that building, the name of which can be translated as: "Location of the castle." Four centuries passed when the third stone and wooden castle was built here, it also stood for a century when the enemies of its owner, Sir Arthur Chichester, burned the building.

The majestic Belfast Castle in its current version was erected already in 1870 under the Marquis of Donegal. So much money was spent on the construction of a magnificent mansion and on its rich interior decoration that the family almost went bankrupt. The Marquess decided to stop with the final finishing of Belfast Castle, and after his death, the heirs sold the unfinished building to the Shaftesberry family. The Earl of Shaftesberry and his wife, Marchioness Harriet Augusta, were able to bring to mind this fabulous castle, which was inherited in 1894 by their descendant, who was later elected mayor of the city of Dublin. In 1934, the Shaftesberry family donated Belfast Castle to the city, and the local authorities began to carry out restoration work in it since 1978.

The six-story Belfast Castle is famous for its amazing garden with a central fountain. Walking along the well-groomed paths, tourists can admire the dizzying panoramas of Belfast Bay and sea ​​views. Today, Belfast Castle is maintained at the expense of tourists, and various festive events, weddings, banquets and so on are held here. The castle has its own souvenir shop, an excellent small restaurant.

It is worth saying that a very important topic related to Belfast Castle is the white cat. There is a legend that a white cat is a talisman and guardian of the aristocratic Donegal family, who once owned the castle, and as long as such a white cat lives in the castle garden, not only this family, but the fortress itself will be in order. While the Donegals lived in Belfast Castle, plump white cats always ran around. In addition, nine images of cats were made in the garden, which connect the entire territory of the garden together. Guides say that if the tourist manages to find all nine images of cats, without clues, because some of them are not immediately visible, then you can make a wish that will come true. In general, for Ireland, a white cat is considered a mystical sacred animal that can bring a person money, happiness in the family and success in business. Similar beliefs of the Irish are associated with their Celtic roots.

Another topic of local souvenirs, in addition to the white cat, is the legendary Titanic ship, which was manufactured at the Harland and Wolff Belfast shipyard in the not so distant 1911. Entrance to Belfast Castle and Gardens is completely free.

Leap Castle, located in the Irish county of Offaly, can claim the title of one of the darkest and most mysterious places on our planet. According to numerous eyewitnesses, it is simply teeming with the ghosts of innocent victims who had to give up their lives at the behest of bloodthirsty executioners. The researchers managed to find out that the castle was not only the main fortress of the county, but was also used as a prison casemate.

The monumental building has a very long history - it was erected in the distant fifteenth century. The castle, which was owned by the powerful O'Carroll clan, was repeatedly destroyed and restored. However, the fame of this place was brought not by valiant victories, but by the atrocities committed in it.

Ghosts of the Bloody Chapel

At all times, representatives of influential dynasties fought for power. The O'Carrolls were no exception. According to historical evidence, in 1532 a civil strife began in this family for the right to become the leader of the clan. The situation escalated to the limit, disagreements ended in fratricide.

One of the O'Carrol brothers was a military man, and the other was a priest. One day, a warrior named Teige broke into the chapel of Lip Castle when the priest Thaddeus was holding mass there.

The priest, pierced by a sword, fell directly on the altar and died suddenly in front of the flock. Since then, the locals began to count, and the chapel was called nothing more than "Bloody".

It must be said that the O "Carrolls had one sweet family tradition. Under the pretext of reconciliation, they often invited their enemies to the castle. After a plentiful feast, drunken "guests" were killed right at the table.

Dungeon for the condemned

During the restoration of an ancient building, a secret chamber was discovered in its dungeons. The casemate is notable for the fact that instead of a floor there were sharp stakes in it. The chamber was also found. It took four wagons to remove all the remains.

After analyzing historical evidence, the researchers came to the conclusion that representatives of the O "Carroll clan used a secret dungeon to massacre enemies. Unsuspecting people were thrown from above onto stakes. Those who managed to survive after that, the bloody executioners left to slowly die among the decomposing bodies.

Despite the sinister reputation, the ancient castle was not left without owners. In 1991, the dilapidated building was purchased by the Ryan couple.

Ireland is not only green meadows with a rainbow and cunning leprechaun inhabitants. It is also unusual and mysterious places covered in mystery and a mix of spooky stories. One such place is Leap Castle in County Offaly.

Leap Castle in County Offaly was built in the late 15th century by the O'Bannon family.

Leap Castle is not uncommon to be found in the original ratings of the most terrible places on the planet. And no wonder, because it is considered one of the cursed castles in the world.

The O'Carrolls often invited their enemies to dinner at the castle under the pretext of reconciliation, and then killed them right at the table or in their beds after the feast. In the same way, dozens of mercenaries from the O'Neill and McMahon clans were killed, who had previously helped the O'Carrolls in internecine wars and received death instead of payment. Under the dining hall was a dungeon (“ubliet”), into which unsuspecting guests fell through a secret door in the corner of the hall. The bottom of the dungeon was strewn with sharp stakes, on which the victims fell. If someone "missed", the O'Carrolls left him to die among the decaying corpses ...

From 1667 to 1922 the castle belonged to the Darby family. The founder of the family, Jonathan, received the rights to the castle and surrounding lands as payment for service in the army of Cromwell, in addition, he married the heiress of the O'Carroll family. In 1922, Darby, as representatives of the English nobility, were expelled from the country by the Republican rebels, and the castle itself was looted and burned.

According to some reports, when the castle was restored after a fire in the 20s of the last century, workers found a huge amount of bones in the “ubliet” - it took three wagons to clean the dungeon. In total, the remains of 150 people were found. A pocket watch made in 1840 was also found among the bones, suggesting the use of the ubliette even into the 19th century.

At one time, Leap Castle was a fierce battle between two brothers of the O'Carroll family. One brother was a soldier and the other a priest. Tensions between the brothers grew, and one terrible night, tragedy struck. A priest was holding mass in the chapel when his brother suddenly burst in and attacked him.

He pierced his brother priest with a sword in the heart, and he died right on the altar, in front of the whole family. In itself, fratricide is a terrible sin, and the fact that the murder took place during a religious ceremony turned this act into a real blasphemy. Since then, the room in which the priest died has been called the "Bloody Chapel", and the castle is believed to have been cursed.

Several years ago, a man was standing near the Blood Chapel and saw a ghost that was dressed as a priest. The ghost approached him, and then suddenly disappeared right in front of him.

bloody chapel

In 1659, according to local legend, the daughter of the head of the O'Carroll family fell in love with an Englishman named Darby, who was held captive by her family in a dungeon. She secretly brought him food, and in the end helped him escape. She fled with her lover, but on the way they got her brother. He raised the alarm and Darby immediately drove his sword into him. The lovers jumped off the castle wall and fled. After the murder of her brother, the runaway girl became the heiress of Leap Castle.

Years later, another girl lived at Leap Castle. Her father wanted her to marry the son of a rich gentleman, but she was in love with a poor boy from a local farm. When her father caught them together, he killed the young man she loved. One night, when her father was sleeping, the girl came to his room and avenged her lover by killing him. The next day, she threw herself off the castle wall and crashed. It is believed that her ghost roams the castle every night, mourning her love.

One girl who visited the castle in our time saw a girl dressed in old clothes on the stairs. Then the girl vanished into thin air. There was another case when a woman was walking around the castle and saw a girl who jumped off the castle wall. The woman screamed in horror, but the girl vanished into thin air before she fell to the ground.

At the end of the 19th century, Jonathan and Mildred Darby lived in the castle. Mildred Darby became very interested in the history of the castle. She was especially interested in stories about ghosts and the curse of the castle. She began to study the occult and even began to conduct magical rituals in the dungeon castle.

It is said that during her occult experiments, Mildred Darby accidentally awakened a ferocious demon. One night, she was standing in the gallery and felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a terrible creature behind her. It was a small, hunched figure that was half human, half animal. He had a thin, black face, and instead of eyes there were only dark hollows. The terrible smell coming from the creature was similar to the smell of a decomposed corpse.

After Mrs. Darby's experiments, Leap Castle was doomed. It burned down under mysterious circumstances and has been abandoned for more than 70 years. These days, the locals in Offaly avoid visiting Leap Castle after sunset for fear of facing the evil that lurks in its ruins.

Many have heard eerie moans and cries at night, and have seen lights at the top of the castle. At night, people saw the lights go on in the Bloody Chapel, as if thousands of candles were being lit there at the same time. Some daredevils who dared to walk around the castle at night came across an unknown ghost of a lady dressed in a red dress.

A ghostly hooded face has also been seen. And from the room in the dungeon, terrible moans are still heard.

The most terrible castle in Ireland was destroyed and burned in 1922 by IRA soldiers. The current owners Sean and Anne Ryan purchased the estate in 1991. The family managed to restore the ruined castle and, despite the possibility of meeting with ghosts, they are happy with their stay in this castle.

To date, almost all the counties of Ireland have survived ancient castles - witnesses of historical events. Some have been converted into first-class hotels, others provide excursions for tourists, many are ruins. The history of castles began in the 9th-10th centuries, when the Celts began to build watch towers. With the advent of the Normans, construction continued with the construction of large square-shaped castles protected by moats.

Wonderfully preserved Kilkenny Castle is the main symbol of the city of the same name. Kilkenny is a small Irish town on the banks of the River Nore. The castle was built in the 12th century by the first Earl of Pembroke, William Marshal. At the end of the 14th century, the building was acquired by James Butler, and for almost 600 years it served as the main residence of this family. In 1967, the descendant of a noble family, the sixth Marquess of Ormond Arthur Butler handed over Kilkenny to the municipal authorities.

After the restoration of the monarchy in the 17th century, Butler, returning from Europe, was impressed by what he saw of European architecture and rebuilt the castle in the style of modern mansions. Throughout its existence, Kilkenny has been reconstructed many times, and therefore its modern look combines different architectural styles.

The last restoration was carried out in 1969. Two statues are installed at the entrance to the castle: Hermes (a copy of the statue from the Vatican) and Diana, the goddess of hunting. Near the western walls there is a beautiful garden with terraces and an old 17th-century fountain that supplies the castle with water. The halls are luxuriously decorated. In the 17th century, the large hall in the front tower served as the seat of Parliament. For centuries, Kilkenny Castle has hosted important state and historical events.

In the village of Blarney, County Cork is blarney castle. This is the third fortress built on this site. The first, dating back to the 10th century, was made of wood. Then, at the beginning of the 13th century, a stone fortress was built. Over time, it collapsed, the ruler of Munster, Dermot McCarthy, built a third castle, which has survived to this day.

Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century wanted to take possession of the castle. She sent her trusted man, the Earl of Leicester, to Blarney. He made attempts to negotiate the surrender of the fortress. And each time, in honor of the royal envoy, McCarthy arranged a feast or invented other events to buy time. Instead of reporting to the Queen, Leicester sent a long letter full of ornate expressions. So the queen didn't get the castle.

In the 17th century, Cromwell's commander Lord Broghill laid siege to the castle. The walls of the fortress were severely damaged during the attack. When the enemy entered the castle, he saw that the inhabitants, taking with them all the most valuable things (including gold utensils), fled through the system of underground passages built under the structure - the Badger Caves.

One of the passages led to the lake. The new owners of Blarney tried to drain the lake, thinking that the fugitives had thrown gold into it. But, alas, there was nothing at the bottom.

Cormac MacCarthy, Dermot's ancestor, in 1314 of Munster sent 4,000 subjects to reinforce the Battle of Bannockburn, where Robert the Bruce fought the English king. Bruce won. In gratitude, he gave Cormac McCarthy half of the Scone Stone, which in the old days served for the coronation of the kings of Scotland.

According to legend, whoever kisses a stone built into the wall will gain the gift of eloquence. But the ritual is not so easy to perform. It follows in a special way, an assistant will help with this, hang from the parapet and kiss the stone in an uncomfortable position. Even though there is a real health risk and risk, many people do the ritual.

Historical Lip castle, built in the 15th century by the O'Bannon family, is located in County Offaly. The O'Carroll clan was the legal owner of the castle.

King of Kildare, Gerald FitzGerald, made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the fortress in 1513. Three years later, he repeated the attack again, during which he partially destroyed it. The O'Carrolls restored the castle in 1557.

The castle has a terrible history of torture and murder. The fortress more than four hundred years ago served as a powerful stronghold of a vicious family. They promised money to the soldiers to kill on their orders. And when mercenaries came for pay, the same was done to them.

In the clan, after the death of Mulroney O'Carroll in 1532, civil strife broke out. In the presence of the whole family, during a family mass on the altar of the chapel, one brother killed another brother - a priest. After that, the chapel was nicknamed "Bloody".

Leap Castle is considered the most creepy and cursed castle in Ireland. The owners of the estate often invited their enemies to dinner to make peace, and then they were killed right at the table. The dungeon (“ubliet”) was located under the floor of the dining room. The guests, not foreseeing anything bad, fell through the secret door into the underground. The victims fell to the bottom of the dungeon, dotted with sharp stakes. If someone fell by, the O'Carrolls left him to die.

This became known much later, during the restoration. The fortress was restored in the 1920s after a fire. In the dungeon the workers found a large number of bones: it took four wagons to clear the ubliet.

Locals say that because of the horrors that took place in the castle, now it is inhabited by many ghosts. Elemental ("elemental phenomenon") - this is the name of the most terrible spirit does not have a human appearance. People who have seen it say that it is a sheep-sized animal, bent and preparing to jump. Before the appearance of the spirit, an unpleasant smell of sulfur and decaying organisms appears in the air. Rumor has it that a mysterious light burns every night in the "bloody chapel".

Today Lip Castle is a private property. The owners are carrying out restoration work and sometimes tours are organized for tourists.

In the county of Waterford in the province of Munster is lismore castle(translated as "big round fort"). The fortress in Lismore began its existence in 1185 - the time when Prince John erected a "castellum" on this site. John, being the king of England, gave the castle to the church. Until 1589, the residence of the archbishop was located in the fortress. Then Sir Walter Raleigh, after the lease, bought the castle in full.

Raleigh was imprisoned in 1602 on charges of treason. Tower of London. He had to sell Lismore, along with the surrounding lands, to Richard Boyle. In 1627, the youngest son of the first Earl of Cork, the famous theologian and philosopher, the founder of modern chemistry, Robert Boyle, was born here.

The city and castle during the Cromwellian wars was plundered by the forces of the Catholic Confederation. Until the middle of the 18th century, no major restoration work was carried out by the owners. In 1753, William Cavendish, having married the only daughter of the Earl of Cork, received possession of the castle and land. He organized a thorough and expensive restoration in the castle. Cavendish was a patron and friend of Charles Dickens and William Thackeray. The Duke's entourage included the famous garden architect Joseph Paxton. He played an important role in the years 1840-1858 in the restoration of the modern appearance of Lismore Castle.

From 1932-1944, the sister of the American choreographer Fred Astaire lived in the castle, being the wife of Lord Charles Cavendish. Returning to America after her husband's death, she visited Lismore every summer.

The Horsemen's Gate is the main entrance to the castle. Previously, two horse sentries guarded this place, which is evidenced by the niches for horses that have survived to this day. On the right is the Tower of King John the Landless, on the left is the Tower of Carlisle, which is 245 feet high. The castle houses the Tower of Sir Walter Raleigh. The flag tower is in the northeast corner. There is a "King James Window" in the living room of the tower. Once upon a time, King James dined at the castle. Going to the window and seeing a deep bright landscape, he immediately recoiled back.

The garden of Lismore Castle is divided into two significantly different parts. The Upper Garden is a typical example of an enclosed garden from the 17th century. The terraces and outer walls remained in their original form, the plants changed depending on the tastes of the inhabitants. In the 19th century, the Lower Garden was founded. It is crossed by a majestic yew alley, probably planted in the 17th century.

The art gallery, located in the west wing, periodically hosts interesting exhibitions and various events. The castle is visited by more than 15,000 tourists every year during the warm season.

In County Meath, in the valley of the Boyne River, near the city of the same name is located Slane Castle or Slane Castle. Built in the 18th century, the castle is the family estate of the family of the Marquis of Coningham.

Slane Castle is famous for the music concerts that take place on its territory. The Irish press wrote in 2004 that "Slaine is an internationally recognized forum". The gentle slopes near the castle create a natural amphitheater that can accommodate 80,000 people.

The founder of rock concerts, which have been held on the slopes since 1981, is the owner of the castle, Earl of the village of Tang - the eighth (awarded the title in March 2009) Marquis Henry Coningham. Since that time, Coningham has been attracting world celebrities to these places. The castle has already been visited by British show business stars and representatives of various trends from other countries.

On 28 May 2011, Slane Castle hosted a 30th anniversary gala show headlined by Kings Of Leon. In addition to them, five groups performed, which were the hosts of the first show in 1981.

The most notorious and famous of the concerts were published and distributed on DVD. Watching them, you can enjoy popular and high-quality music, as well as get acquainted with the local beauties and amazing views of the picturesque castle.