Built by Norman knight Maurice FitzGerald around 1178 on a rocky headland overlooking the Irish Sea, the Black Castle was repeatedly attacked and burned by the O'Byrne and O'Toole clans over the following centuries. Today its dramatic clifftop ruins are freely accessible on a coastal walking route beside Wicklow harbour.
Visiting Wicklow Castle (Black Castle)
Ruin, freely accessible exterior, coastal path
"Built by Norman knight Maurice FitzGerald around 1178 on a rocky headland overlooking the Irish Sea, the Black Castle was repeatedly attacked and burned by the O'Byrne and O'Toole clans over the following centuries."
Where to stay nearby
The closest castle hotel is Huntington Castle, 43.64 km away in Clonegal — Built in 1625 as a garrison in the riverside village of Clonegal, long home to the Durdin-Robertson family.
