A spectacular ruined castle perched on a basalt sea-stack on the Antrim coast, built in the 13th century by Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, later the seat of Clan MacDonnell. Part of the kitchen reputedly fell into the sea in 1639 during a storm, taking servants with it; access is via a bridge to the mainland, and the site is widely believed to have inspired Cair Paravel in C.S. Lewis's Narnia.
Visiting Dunluce Castle
Yes, Historic Environment Division (NI) managed, visitor centre and daily tours
Where to stay nearby
The closest castle hotel is Ballygally Castle, 58.9 km away in Ballygally — Built in 1625 by Scottish settler James Shaw, used during the Irish Civil Wars and 1641 rebellion; the only 17th-century building in Northern Ireland still in continuous use as a residence today.
Ballygally Castle
Ballygally, Co. Antrim · 4-star
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