Creepy legends of the linden castle. Leap Castle, Ireland

The stunningly beautiful city 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 shrouded in mystical charm; its history contains a lot of mysteries and secrets, sometimes creepy and paranormal. Ireland is a country where there are many shadows of a bloody past that still remind living people of themselves. Many of these ancient castles have now become museums, and yet they have retained a certain amount 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 landmarks in the western part of Ireland. It stands at the confluence of the River Cong and Lough 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 Norman family de Burgh; later the spelling of their surname changed to “Bourke”. 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 the governor of the province of Connacht, where the castle stood. He was a rather cruel man; many noble families of the region, including de Burki, rose up against him. Then Sir Bingham sentenced several representatives of this clan to be hanged at once. In 1587, the opposing forces concluded 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 commit various cruelties. The Queen of England soon grew tired of the regular complaints about Bingham's atrocities causing more unrest in Ireland, and ordered the territory to be abandoned. In the first quarter of the eighteenth century old castle Ashford was bought by Baron Oranmore Brown, who re-registered the ancient fortification, making it an elegant palace in the French style. Since 1852, this aristocratic Irish estate was bought by local businessman Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, a descendant of the man who opened the famous Guinness brewery. In addition to growing his 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 sites. He bought the territory surrounding the castle, planted a forest there, made excellent roads, and also added two more extensions to the structure in the Victorian style that was fashionable at that time. After his death, the castle was inherited by Arthur Edward Guinness, who in 1880 received the title “Lord Ardilon” from Queen Victoria for his philanthropic services to the country. The new owner loved Ashford Castle very much, he continued his father’s work, expanded and developed the vast forest lands, and also rebuilt one wing of the building to suit his own taste. Also, the baron, who was a businessman, sponsored shipping on Lough Corriba, and now small steamers could travel between settlements, located on the lake shore, entering Galway city. In 1939, the descendants of Lord Ardilon sold the castle to Irish businessman Haggard, who converted ancient building V excellent hotel. People came to these beautiful places with pleasure, because in addition to accommodation, they offered entertainment such as hunting in the richest forest lands and fishing for salmon and trout in the waters of the lake. Since 1970, Ashford Castle came into the possession of 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, and made a huge golf course on the shores of Lough Corrib. In 2007, the castle hotel was purchased by Irish businessman Gerry Barrett.

Today, the magnificent Ashford Castle Hotel attracts tourists with its elegant medieval crenellated towers, beautiful parapets, numerous galleries, and lancet windows. To get to the gate, you need to cross a bridge over the Cong River, topped on both sides watchtowers. Guests are no less fascinated by the interiors of the castle. There are eighty-five rooms here, and all of them are luxuriously decorated, furnished with antique furniture, decorated with filigree wood carvings and 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 and famous world celebrities often stay at this hotel. The hotel's cuisine and chic restaurant, located in the George V Hall, deserve special praise. The restaurant employs chef Stefan Matz, who received the title of “Ireland’s Best Chef” in 2010. The restaurant can serve one hundred and fifty guests at a time; they are accommodated in the “winter” hall, from the windows of which panoramas of the lake and river open. There is also a “summer” Connacht hall here; it can serve fifty people at a time. The interior here is more cozy and soft, there is a fireplace, and 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 Falconry School, located on its territory, more precisely next to Lough Corrib. Here you can have fun with traditional local entertainment - fishing, walks along forest trails and gardens, take horse 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 fitness room. If you want, 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 Moher Cliffs and the lands of Connemara. If you don’t have an extra two hundred euros, and this is the amount that starts with the payment for one night of hotel accommodation, then you can visit the castle absolutely free, and local employees will give you a tour of it at a low negotiable 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 the eccentric new owner. Victoria Castle, a charming medieval-style building with crenellated turrets and a magnificent garden around it, was erected in 1840 to commemorate the accession to the throne of Queen Victoria of England. The architect Robert Warren was involved in the construction. The castle was surrounded by magnificent gardens that occupied fourteen thousand square meters, and from the lancet windows of the castle one could see the Irish coast, right up to the lands of Wales. There was a secret passage from the fortress under the gardens leading to Killiney beach, however, this tunnel is now walled up. The interiors of the castle were magnificent and lush, decorated with unique masterpieces of art. Unfortunately, in 1928 there was a strong fire in the castle, during which almost everything burned out. The restoration of the castle was undertaken by the architect Thomas Power, who renamed the building “Ayesha Castle”, hinting at the goddess from the novel, who was reborn from the element of fire. In 1995, the owners of the castle, representatives of the Aylmer family, built residential apartments and a gallery in the former stables, which was called “Equestrian”, to attract tourists. An exhibition of works by Irish and European painters opened there.

Since 1997, the castle became the property of 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, and replaced the gate. Despite this, in 2005, robbers tried to break into Manderley Castle twice, and both times the owner was at home. Fortunately, the robbery attempts failed. Despite the fact that today Manderley Castle is a private area, many tourists say that they were able to visit it through a direct agreement with the singer Enya. If you have a desire, then try to visit it too.

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 Blarney of the same name, in the suburbs of small town Cork. Blarney Castle was built in 1446 on the site of an earlier fortification built in 1210, which later replaced a flimsy tenth-century wooden structure. The castle was built by Dermot McCarthy; he built a very powerful five-story fortress with thick walls, an extensive network of secret underground passages and hidden caves, so that in the event of a siege of Blarney, the owners could quickly escape without putting their lives in danger. These served very well secret passages for the owners of the castle in the seventeenth century, when Lord Broghill besieged the fortress and was even able to break through these powerful walls inside, but what was his surprise when, once on the castle territory, he did not find a single living soul, and besides, everything valuables were also removed from Blarney by the owners.

The guides will tell you many real stories and legends associated with the castle. One of them is the story of how the owner of Blarney Castle was able to refuse the powerful Queen of England Elizabeth the First to transfer ownership of the building. According to the stories, the queen dreamed of taking possession of this magnificent castle, and the desire of the ruler in those years was the law. But the wise owner of Blarney was not ready to give up his ancestral property, although he also did not dare to say so openly. When another envoy on this issue arrived from the queen, he cordially greeted him with feasts, treats, hunting, gifts, said a lot of nice things, handed over letters to the queen with many compliments, assurances of eternal devotion, but 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 conduct 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 at the top of one of the towers. The Blarney Stone or “Stone of Eloquence” is overgrown with more than one myth, moreover, they are all different and do not in any way reveal the essence of the appearance of this artifact. They say that this stone was given to one of the owners of the castle by an Irish witch, whom he turned to to help him win a hopeless lawsuit in court. This man was tongue-tied and had no hope of winning the argument, but after he kissed the stone he received from the witch, he was able to charm the judges with his florid speeches and won a stunning victory in court, protecting his property. As for the “Stone of Eloquence” itself, it was part of the famous Scone Stone; previously, the coronation of the kings of England and Scotland took place on it. The legend of his acquisition is interesting: for many years the daughter Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II traveled around different countries, looking for heaven on earth, and 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 had a dream about angels ascending a ladder into the sky. When the princess of Egypt died, the stone was kept in the Scottish Abbey of Scone. 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 Scone stone was built into one of the walls of the tower, and at its very top. Since then, the belief has been firmly established behind the stone that any person who kisses it will gain the gift of eloquence. But to kiss the 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 strong walls, fortified with towers at the four corners. But the interior interior has not survived to this day, although the guides talk in detail about all the rooms: they will show you where the owner of Blarney had his chambers, the rooms of his associates, guest bedrooms, and also a secret room for murderers, where the servants were hiding, always ready at the owner’s orders kill the unwanted guest.

On the grounds of Blarney Castle there is a very beautiful house in the Gothic style, Blarney House, built in the eighteenth century, although the original building burned down in a fire in 1820, and a 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 you can feel some kind of mystical atmosphere. Here are located such artifacts as: “Rock Close” - an ancient pagan altar, the Druid Circle, the Witches Kitchen. Interesting place is the “Witches Staircase” - this is a green split rock, into which you can walk along slippery steps, and you need to do this by first making a wish and closing your eyes, so that as you walk up the stairs, the little elves will fulfill your plans. The gardens around Blarney Castle appeared in the eighteenth century, they were laid out between centuries-old oak trees, intertwining corners of nature with man-made masterpieces of landscape design. Picnics are allowed 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. summer days and until half past five in winter. Closed on the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth of December. Price entrance ticket to Blarney Castle: adult – ten euros; children from eight to fourteen years old - three and a half euros. Entry to the castle park is free.

Blarney Castle address: Ireland, Blarney Village.

Bunratty Castle

The massive and formidable medieval castle of Bunratty is located in County Clare in the village of the same name, Bunratty, near the town of Shannon. This fortress has long history. Back in 1425, it was erected by the Irish clan McNamara on the site of the former citadel market town Viking, 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 survive and is well preserved to this day. Some time passed after construction and the castle ended up in the possession of the O'Brien family. The building was heavily destroyed in 1641 during the Irish Rebellion, but it was restored five years later. Since the eighteenth century, Bunratty Castle was owned by the Studdert family. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, they left the 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 has been 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 restore all its medieval splendor. Its interiors were filled with antique furniture, household items and art, priceless tapestries, and the rooms and halls were returned to the original luxurious decor that characterized the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Any piece of art here is accompanied by an information plaque about its origin. Today, Bunratty Castle is considered one of the best preserved in Ireland, housing a rich collection of medieval furniture and tapestries. Feasts in medieval style are often held in its luxurious halls.

Tourists enjoy getting to know not only the castle, but the village where it stands, because here they have the opportunity to visit local farms and fishermen’s houses, learn about the traditional crafts of the area, take pictures in national costumes, taste amazing dishes, watch historical scenes, which often go to the castle to entertain guests. It is very pleasant to walk 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 to four in the evening, and the park is open until half past five 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.

McDermott's Castle Island

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 Lough Key, in the Irish county of Roscommon, near the town of Boyle. The round lake stretches for ten kilometers, and thirty small islands are scattered across its entire surface. By the way, there is an interesting local legend about the appearance of this reservoir. They say that the lake appeared thanks to the Druid deity of Nuada named Ki, who was wounded during the mythological Second Battle of the village of Moytur, and fled in search of shelter to heal. After a short journey to the south, he saw a beautiful flowering valley, then lay down on the ground and fell fast asleep. Suddenly, waters from underground sources began to rapidly rise and in a matter of minutes covered both the green meadow and the god sleeping on it. A lake appeared here.

Gradually, people began to settle on some of its islands. Thus, according to the ancient written sources of the Annals of Lough Key, it is known that Castle Island was occupied by two Irish clans, McDermott and McGreevy. Soon a powerful castle grew here, which was first called “McGreevy”, but, as the chronicle says, then this family nest began to be named after the name of the McDermott clan. Here you can read about the constant struggle and battles for ownership 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 structure - a fortress with jagged semicircular turrets - was almost completely burned out in the fire.

The next castle was built on the site of one that burned down at the end of the twelfth century. It is said that in the Middle Ages, between the two warring McDermott families and the McCostello clan, who settled on another island, a tragic episode occurred, reminiscent of the story of Romeo and Juliet. The owner's daughter Una McDermott lived in the castle, who fell in love with the guy Thomas McCostello, but when her parents found out about their relationship, they forbade them to meet, and Una's parents sent her to an uninhabited remote island in the lake. But the loving couple did not stop seeing each other in secret: every day Thomas swam across the lake from his island to the lonely island to see Una. But the girl’s sad existence, far from her family 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 idea of ​​swimming 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, so that they could 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 became intertwined, showing all living the inviolability of love bonds even after death. Tourists can still see quite overgrown pink thickets to this day on Trinity Island.

In an interesting poem dating back to the fifteenth century, you can read about the local sorceress Hag Lock Clew, better known in these lands as the “Old Woman of Lough Key,” who found a way to a comfortable and well-fed existence: she imposed a vow on the owner of the island and castle, Cormac McDermott eternal hospitality.

Further historical documents say that the McDermotts family 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 became part of the English Crown. True, already in the next century the building was struck by lightning and it burned out once 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 the English royal family were built on the island. countryside holiday, but this building also burned down during the Second World War.

As for the representatives of the McDermott family, they moved to the Rockingham estate nearby. This house was surrounded by a picturesque wooded area and a park where there was beautiful lake. That part of the territory also became the property of the crown when the Lough Key recreation and entertainment park was established here, occupying eight hundred hectares of area. On the territory of the park there was also an ancient observation tower of Moylurg, the McDermott family, right on the site of the house of this clan, which burned down in 1957, because it was one of its parts. Also, there is a stone throne-chair, many secret underground passages, labyrinths, entangled in the area. There is an old dilapidated church here. Getting acquainted with the local park, tourists must visit 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 homeland of numerous warlike clans, which 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 family and dynasty. One such representative of a formidable and irreconcilable clan is Sir Richard Caddell, who was one of the Knights of the Round Table under King Arthur, and received the nickname “Black” for his unusually dark skin color. He arrived on the Irish island during the first wave of the Anglo-Norman migration of 1169, and in order to finally put down roots here, he married a local girl, Mirabella, who was the daughter of the local feudal lord Richard De Bourke. Cadell soon became Sheriff of Connacht, and all of his descendants subsequently occupied the highest positions. Cadell decided to build his 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 ruled all the affairs of the region, and, naturally, their representatives became 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, and streets. The city of Galway itself flourished, engaging in extensive trade with other countries. Due to the castle's unusually strategic location on the banks of the river, in the mid-seventeenth century, troops under the command of Cromwell tried to capture Menlo Castle, but, fortunately, they soon lifted the siege and left without harming civilians.

In Irish history of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, one of the representatives of the family very clearly imprinted himself - the mystical Sir Valentine Black, to 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 from unknown causes. Soon there were no people left willing 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 fairly respectable gentleman; he worked as a surgeon. But it was just a beautiful façade, 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 During his life, his father did not let him out into public, saying that he had become weak-minded. Dying, the father bequeathed to bury himself according to the Catholic canons, but the son did exactly the opposite: he arranged a funeral according to Protestant rites, and when the residents 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, and a big scandal immediately broke out. During these proceedings and scandals, the tombstone was placed not at the head of the deceased, but at the feet. This was not corrected later, and as local residents say, it became the trigger for the tragic events that happened further and the revenge of the offended soul of the late father.

It must be said that Sir Valentine had three children in total: his two already adult sons died, the youngest daughter got married and moved to another city, only the youngest daughter, the crippled Miss Helen, remained with her father, suffering from rheumatism and practically unable to move independently. The father often insulted his daughter, taking it out on her for all his failures in life. And she gradually fell ill with mental illness, then they began to lock her in a room, not letting her out in public. Two maids, Anna and Delia, were assigned to the unfortunate girl to help her if necessary. On the twenty-sixth of June 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 engulfed in fire. The coachman Kirwan, who lived in a room on the second floor, heard the desperate cries of the maids, but could not go up the stairs to the apartment of the owner’s daughter, because everything was already on fire, then he went down the walls covered with ivy, along the outer wall, getting out of his window rooms. He ran around the castle to understand 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 come running to the castle and brought a ladder, but it did not reach the roof, the girls’ clothes had already begun to smolder, then bales of straw were stacked below, they were ordered to jump down. Delia was the first to jump, but she landed next to the straw and immediately fell to her death. Anna fell on 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 is 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 installed in reverse, like his father’s. What was it: a coincidence or revenge from local residents for disrespect to their father? – now no one can answer for sure. It was rumored that the fire happened as heavenly punishment for the mysterious deaths of the wives of “Bluebeard”, for the disregard for the will of the father and the bad attitude towards the unfortunate daughter.

Today, all that remains of the castle are absolutely picturesque ruins, covered with a cushion of green ivy. Tourists always come here to look at this romantic attraction next to the river. Many locals have picnics here, although they say that it is better to leave this place before dark, because the ruins you can see strange ethereal shadows lamenting 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 discovered, and the other two are his wives, who are said to have been killed by an insidious husband at Menlo Castle. Be that as it may, this place is full of secrets and mystical charm, and is definitely worth a visit while in Ireland.

Enniskillen Castle

The beautiful and stately, and well-preserved Irish castle of Enniskillen stands in County 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 north-west, and to protect members of his clan from attacks by warlike neighbors. The powerful walls of the first structure - the square tower - held the defense quite well, and this reliability made Enniskillen Castle the center of strength 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, dating back to 1439, it is already mentioned as a formidable stronghold and a reliable citadel. The builder of this castle and the ancestor of the clan died in 1428. The next leader, about whom researchers absolutely know, was a representative of the same clan from Enniskillen - Sean Maguire, elected in 1484. Over the centuries of its existence, the castle was improved and strengthened, its appearance. This was caused by the urgent need to maintain an endless defense, because the castle stood in a strategically important place and there was always a confrontation over it. That is why the clan leaders constantly had to come up with new ways to protect and strengthen the fortress walls. The county was regularly subject 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 seizure 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 all around, so it was unwittingly drawn into an extended nine-year war from the end of the sixteenth century.

Since 1607, the chief of the clan named Kuhonnakt was expelled from Ireland for treason, and his possessions, including Enniskillen Castle and lands, were given to the city constable Sir William Cole by the English conquerors. The new owner began to rebuild the castle to his taste. 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. Be that as it may, today the Watergate, with the flag with the image of St. George rising above it, is a symbol of this Irish county.

Ireland soon became a military base for the Kingdom of Spain, and as a result the castle was increased in size to accommodate more soldiers' barracks, as well as a weapons arsenal. Since the nineteenth century, the fortress was captured by the British and from there they 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 English 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 the Royal Fusiliers - the Inniskilling Regimental Museum. In the castle museum, tourists can see interesting household items, clothing and furniture that belonged to the people who once lived in this castle. Very interesting are the collections of Irish lace, ceramics, weapons and military uniforms.

Enniskillen Castle can be visited:
- From May to June, in September - Monday, Saturday - from two in the afternoon 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.

Enniskillen Castle Address: 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 Shannon and Abbey rivers. The castle replaced the flimsy earthen embankments that once served to protect the local population. Of course, the original structure changed over time, it increased in size and improved in terms of fortifications. It was not long before Limerick Royal Castle became the most impregnable fortress English in the west of Ireland. Despite this, in 1642 this amazing example of Norman fortification was destroyed 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 descendants that the Peace of Limerick was signed here during the battle of two kings, which took place between 1690 and 1961.

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

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

The entrance ticket price 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, Limerick city, St. Nicholas Street.

Belfast Castle

A very beautiful castle, as if straight out of a fairy tale, stands on a hill above the city of Belfast, being its most popular symbol. Belfast Castle is surrounded by beautiful, well-kept Cavehill Park.

The first wooden castle was built by the Norman knight John de Courcy at the end of the twelfth century after capturing the Kingdom of Ulster, which existed in these lands. But it was not the Normans who were the first to notice these places, because people began to settle on the slopes of the Cave Hill hills, pitted with caves, back in the Bronze Age. To this day, scientists are discovering buildings there that date back several thousand years. The ancient cities and dwellings of the Celts long ago fell into ruins when the English and Normans came to Ireland. Returning to the history of the original fortress, it did not stand for long 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 in honor of that building a street remained, 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 form was built already in 1870 under the Marquis of Donegal. So much money was spent on the construction of the magnificent mansion and on its rich interior decoration that the family almost went bankrupt. The Marquis decided to stop with the final finishing of Belfast Castle, and after his death, his heirs sold the unfinished structure to the Shaftesberry family. Earl Shaftesberry and his wife, Marchioness Harriet Augusta, were able to bring to life 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 local authorities began carrying out restoration work on it in 1978.

The six-storey Belfast Castle is famous for its stunning garden with a central fountain. Walking along well-maintained paths, tourists can admire breathtaking panoramas of Belfast Bay and marine species. Nowadays, Belfast Castle is maintained at the expense of tourists, and various special events, weddings, banquets and so on are held here. The castle has its own souvenir shop and an excellent small restaurant.

It is worth saying that a very important theme associated with Belfast Castle is the white cat. There is a legend that a white cat is a talisman and guardian of the aristocratic Donegal family, which once owned the castle, and as long as such a white cat lives in the castle garden, not only this family, but also the fortress itself will be in order. While the Donegals lived in Belfast Castle, well-fed white cats always ran around here. In addition, nine images of cats were made in the garden, which connect the entire garden area together. The guides say that if a tourist manages to find all nine images of cats, without clues because some of them are not immediately visible, then they 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 theme of local souvenirs, in addition to the white cat, is the legendary Titanic ship, which was manufactured at the Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff in the not so distant 1911. Entry to Belfast Castle and Gardens is completely free.

To this day, ancient castles have survived in almost all counties of Ireland - witnesses historical events. Some have been converted into first-class hotels, others host excursions for tourists, and many are ruins. The history of castles began in the 9th and 10th centuries, when the Celts began to build round watchtowers. With the arrival 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 in terms of population on the banks of the River Nore. The castle was built by the first Earl of Pembroke, William Marshal, in the 12th century. At the end of the 14th century, the building was purchased by James Butler, and it served as the main residence of this family for almost 600 years. In 1967, a descendant of a noble family, the sixth Marquess of Ormonde Arthur Butler handed over Kilkenny to municipal authorities.

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

The last restoration was carried out in 1969. At the entrance to the castle there are two statues: Hermes (a copy of the statue from the Vatican) and Diana, the goddess of the hunt. Near the western walls there is a beautiful garden with terraces and an old 17th century fountain that provides water supply to the castle. The halls are luxuriously decorated. In the 17th century, the large hall in the front tower served to hold meetings of Parliament. For centuries, Kilkenny Castle has hosted important government and historical events.

In the village of Blarney, County Cork, there is Blarney Castle. This is the third fortress built on this site. The first, dating back to the 10th century, was wooden. 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 wanted to take possession of the castle in the 16th century. She sent her trusted man, the Earl of Leicester, to Blarney. He made attempts to discuss the surrender of the fortress. And each time, in honor of the royal envoy, McCarthy organized a feast or invented other events to stall for time. Instead of reporting to the queen, Leicester sent a long letter full of flowery expressions. So the queen never got the castle.

In the 17th century, Cromwell's commander, Lord Broghill, besieged the castle. The walls of the fortress suffered severe damage during the attack. When the enemy entered the castle, he saw that the inhabitants, taking with them all the most valuable things (including gold dishes), fled through a system of underground passages built under the structure - 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 there. But, alas, there was nothing at the bottom.

Cormac MacCarthy, Dermot's ancestor, in 1314 from Munster sent 4,000 subjects as reinforcements at the Battle of Bannockburn, where Robert the Bruce fought the English king. Bruce won. As a token of gratitude, he gave Cormac McCarthy half of the Stone of Scone, which in ancient times served for the coronation of the kings of Scotland.

According to legend, whoever kisses a stone built into the wall will gain gift of eloquence. But performing the ritual is not so easy. In a special way, an assistant will help you with this, you should hang from the parapet and kiss the stone in an awkward position. Even though there are real health risks and risks, many people perform the ritual.

Historical Leap Castle, built in the 15th century by the O'Bannon family, is located in County Offaly. The O'Carroll clan were the legal owners of the castle.

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

The castle has scary story torture and murder. More than four hundred years ago, the fortress served as a powerful stronghold for a vicious family. They promised money to the soldiers so that they would kill on their orders. And when the mercenaries came for payment, they were treated the same way.

After the death of Mulroney O'Carroll in 1532, civil strife broke out in the clan. 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 this, 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 killed them right at the table. The dungeon (“oubliette”) was located under the floor of the dining room. The guests, not foreseeing anything bad, fell through secret door underground. The victims fell to the bottom of the dungeon, strewn with sharp stakes. If someone fell past, 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 carts to clean the Oubliette.

Locals They say that because of the horrors that happened in the castle, many ghosts now live in it. Elemental (“natural phenomenon”) - this is the name of the most terrible spirit and does not have a human appearance. People who have seen it say that it is a bent beast the size of a sheep, preparing to jump. Before the spirit appears, an unpleasant smell of sulfur and decaying organisms appears in the air. There are rumors that a mysterious light burns in the “bloody chapel” every night.

Nowadays Lip Castle is private property. The owners are carrying out restoration work and sometimes conduct excursions for tourists.

In County Waterford, Munster, there is Lismore Castle(translated as "large round fort"). The fortress in Lismore began its existence in 1185 - the time when Prince John erected a “castellum” on this site. John, being king of England, gave the castle to the church. Until 1589, the fortress was the residence of the archbishop. Then Sir Walter Raleigh, after renting it, bought the castle outright.

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, a famous theologian and philosopher, the founder of modern chemistry, Robert Boyle, was born here.

The city and castle were sacked by the Catholic Confederacy during the Cromwellian Wars. Until the mid-18th century, the owners did not carry out any major restoration work. In 1753, William Cavendish, having married the only daughter of the Earl of Cork, took possession of the castle and land. He organized a thorough and expensive restoration of 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 restoring the modern appearance of Lismore Castle.

In 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 mounted sentries guarded this place, as evidenced by the niches for horses that have survived to this day. To the right rises the Tower of King John the Landless, to the left is the Tower of Carlisle, which is 245 feet high. The castle houses Sir Walter Raleigh's Tower. The flag tower is in the northeast corner. There is a "King James window" in the tower parlor. King James once dined at the castle. Approaching the window and seeing a deep, bright landscape, he immediately pulled back.

The garden at Lismore Castle is divided into two significantly different parts. The Upper Garden is a typical example of an enclosed garden of the 17th century. Terraces and external walls remained in their original form, the plants changed depending on the tastes of the inhabitants. The Lower Garden was founded in the 19th century. It is crossed by a majestic avenue of yew trees, 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 town of the same name, there is Slane Castle or Slane Castle. Built in the 18th century, the castle is the family estate of the Marquess of Conyngham.

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

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

A celebratory show took place at Slane Castle on 28 May 2011 to celebrate 30 years of concerts, headlined by Kings Of Leon. In addition to them, five groups performed that hosted the first show in 1981.

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

Leap Castle, located in the Irish county of Offaly, can lay claim to the title of one of the darkest and 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. Researchers were able 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 structure has a very long history - it was erected back in the fifteenth century. The castle, which was in the possession of the powerful O'Carrol clan, was repeatedly destroyed and restored. However, it was not the valiant victories that brought fame to this place, but 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, 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 burst into the chapel of Leap Castle while the priest Thaddeus was holding mass there.

The clergyman, pierced by a sword, fell straight onto the altar and died suddenly in front of the congregation. Since then, local residents began to believe and call the chapel nothing other than “Bloody.”

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

Prison for the condemned

During the restoration of the 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. They were also found in the cell. It took four carts to remove all the remains.

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

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

Ireland is not only green meadows with rainbows and cunning leprechaun inhabitants. These are also unusual and mysterious places, covered in mystery and a mix of creepy stories. One such place is Leap Castle in County Offaly.

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

Lip Castle can often be found in unique ratings of the most scary places on the planet. And it’s not surprising, 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 there was a dungeon (“oubliette”), 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 rotting corpses...

From 1667 to 1922, the castle belonged to the Darby family. The founder of the family, Jonathan, received rights to the castle and surrounding lands as payment for his service in Cromwell’s army, and he also married the heiress of the O’Carroll family. In 1922, the Darbys, as members of the English nobility, were expelled from the country by 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 “oubliette” - it took three carts to clean out the dungeon. In total, the remains of 150 people were discovered. A pocket watch made in 1840 was also found among the bones, suggesting the use of an oubliette even in the 19th century.

At one time, Leap Castle was the site of a fierce struggle between two brothers of the O'Carroll family. One brother was a warrior, and the other a priest. Tensions between the brothers grew, and one terrible night, tragedy struck. The priest was celebrating 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. Fratricide itself is a terrible sin, and the fact that the murder took place during a religious ceremony made this act 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 stood near Bloody Chapel and saw a ghost who 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 being held captive by her family in a dungeon. She secretly brought him food, and in the end helped him escape. She ran away with her lover, but her brother got in the way. He raised the alarm and Darby immediately plunged his sword into him. The lovers jumped off the castle wall and disappeared. After the murder of her brother, the runaway girl became the heir to Leap Castle.

Years later, another girl lived in Leap Castle. Her father wanted her to marry the son of a rich gentleman, but she was in love with a poor guy from a local farm. When her father found them together, he killed the young man she loved. One night, while her father was sleeping, the girl came to his room and avenged her lover by killing him. The next day she threw herself from the castle wall and was killed. It is believed that her ghost wanders 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 disappeared 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 disappeared into the air before she could fall 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 castle's curse. 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 and half beast. He had a thin, black face, and instead of eyes there were only dark hollows. The terrible smell emanating 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, locals in Offaly avoid visiting Leap Castle after sunset for fear of encountering the evil that lurks in its ruins.

Many heard eerie moans and crying at night, and saw lights in the upper part of the castle. At night, people saw the lights come on in the Bloody Chapel, as if thousands of candles were being lit there at the same time. Some brave souls who dared to walk around the castle at night encountered an unknown ghost of a lady dressed in a red dress.

A ghostly hooded face was also seen. And terrible groans can still be heard from the room in the dungeon.

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

Ireland is an interesting and original country, full of legends and mysterious stories. Here myths mix with real life. Local residents say that there are still castles in Ireland that are haunted.

This magnificent Gothic castle is located in Tullamore. It is surrounded by an ancient forest, which was a place for Druid rituals. The castle was built 2 centuries ago, and local residents claim that Harriet, the count's daughter, still lives there. That's why this place attracts ghost hunters.

It was built about 500 years ago by the ruling O'Donoghue clan, whose head had a beautiful daughter. One day she met a local guy and they fell in love. In order not to be separated, they decided to run away, but both died. They say that the ghost of a girl can be seen in the castle.

The castle was built in the 13th century. Several centuries later, it was owned by McQuillan, who wanted to marry his cousin's daughter, but the girl was in love with another man. The lovers tried to escape, but their boat sank and their bodies were never found. Visitors to the castle claim that inexplicable screams are heard here.

The history of this ancient castle began in the 12th century. Until recently, there was a hotel here, but in 2009 the old building was put up for sale. There is a legend about a count who had magical powers and one day suddenly disappeared. Local residents say that it appears every 7 years.

The castle was built in the 16th century. King Henry VIII gave it to Thomas Boleyn to win the hand of his daughter Anne. Second cousins ​​of Queen Elizabeth I lived in Clonony. Visitors to the castle sometimes encounter the ghost of a man who looks like a skeleton.

Based on materials from: unique-w.com