A rocky outcrop rising 46 metres above the surrounding plain, first a Gaelic ringfort recorded as sacked by Vikings in 843, then rebuilt as a stone castle after 1170 by Strongbow following his marriage to Aoife, daughter of the King of Leinster. The dramatic ruins, later fortified by the O'Moore clan, offer panoramic views toward the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
Visiting Rock of Dunamase (Dunamase Castle)
Ruin, freely accessible, no amenities
"A rocky outcrop rising 46 metres above the surrounding plain, first a Gaelic ringfort recorded as sacked by Vikings in 843, then rebuilt as a stone castle after 1170 by Strongbow following his marriage to Aoife, daughter of the King of Leinster."
Where to stay nearby
The closest castle hotel is Kilkea Castle, 27.4 km away in Castledermot — Built in 1180 by Hugh de Lacy for Sir Walter de Riddlesford; the surviving keep is largely 15th-century and it was the principal seat of the FitzGerald Earls of Kildare for around seven centuries.
Nearest castle hotel · 27.4 km
Kilkea Castle
Castledermot, Co. Kildare · 4-star
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