Drimnagh Castle

Drimnagh Castle (“Caisleán Dhroimeanaigh” in Irish Gaelic) is an Anglo-Norman castle in the small town of Drimnagh, a suburb of Dublin. It is the only Irish castle to have kept its moat intact!

Visit Drimnagh Castle

The first traces of the castle date back to 1216, when its first owner, Sir Hugh de Bernival, took possession of the premises. The family living there was Anglo-Norman at the time and exercised authority over the surrounding area.

The château was quickly passed down through several generations, until finally welcoming another family in the 1900s: the Hatch family. Initially, the owner wanted to use the château estate to graze his dairy cows. But he soon decided to restore the château and turn it into a family home. (Which explains the extraordinary state of the château today).

As for visits, the château is open to the public and offers guided tours that will tell you more about its history, how it was built, its major historical events… etc.

Among the must-sees, you can discover :

impressive moats, still fed by the local Drimnagh river.
A large 15th-century hall with oak roof and adjoining 16th-century round tower.
A 20th-century ballroom.
A 20th-century training room.
Pretty garden with trees.

The tour is rather pleasant and attractive.

For the record, Drimnagh Castle has been used as a location for several films and TV series. These include the 2007 Tudors series created by Michael Hirst.

Drimnagh Castle: haunted?

With a history dating back to the 13th century, it’s not surprising that rumors of ghosts and paranormal activity circulate around this historic site. However, it should be noted that although stories and legends abound, there is no scientific evidence to confirm that the castle is haunted.

However, Drimnagh castle is said to be haunted by the ghost of Eleanor Barnwell, a young woman who lived in the castle in the late 16th century. The legend is worthy of a Romeo and Juliet plot!

The story goes that Eleanor was promised to her cousin Edmund Barnwell… But the young woman was actually in love with Sean O’Byrn, of Wicklow’s O’Byrne clan, a sworn enemy of the Barnwell family.

During the wedding, the O’Byrne clan then allegedly murdered the groom-to-be as he made his way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the ceremony.

Infuriated, Eleanor’s uncle locked her up in Drimnagh Castle and had Sean O’Byrn murdered in retaliation.

There are two versions of the legend. The first tells of Eleanor’s grief as she threw herself from the castle walls, causing her immediate death.

The second tells of Eleanor’s escape to find the grave of her murdered lover. She let herself freeze to death at her grave in the heart of the Dublin mountains.

Since then, locals like to say that Eleanor’s ghost haunts Drimnagh Castle. Some visitors and employees have even reported feeling presences or hearing strange noises, but again, none of this has been confirmed.

The young woman’s ghost was reportedly spotted by people living in the building. She would wander silently, desperately searching for her lost love.

So, haunted or not, Drimnagh Castle is a must-see if you’re in Dublin and have a penchant for history and maybe a bit of mystery too. And who knows, maybe you’ll have your own paranormal experience to tell!