The beautiful seaside town of Malahide in County Dublin with its panoramic views of the Irish Sea and easy access to Dublin makes it the perfect location to visit.
Malahide is soaked in Irish History, and the jewel in the crown of this gorgeous town is the legendary Malahide Castle.
Contact Information
Malahide Castle and Gardens.
Malahide, Co. Dublin, Ireland
01 8666780/ 781
www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie
Pricing
Adult €12
Student €8
Child (under 12) €6
Family €26
Opening Hours
Monday – Sunday: 9:30 – 1730pm
November – March the last castle tour is at 1530
Closed: December 24 — 26
Tours of Malahide Castle
Choice of tours available:
Botanic Garden Interpretive Centre
Secret Walled Garden
West Lawn Gardens
Castle History Museum
Castle Tour
Guided tours available (English Only)
Booklets
Audio-guides
(Available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish)
Facilities
Avoca restaurant in the visitor centre
Gift shop.
Free Parking
Disability Parking and The Castle and grounds are partially wheelchair accessible
Sinead’s Thoughts
With a history stretching back to the Norman Conquest of Ireland, you are sucked back in time to the world of Medieval Knights and surrounded by every era in the history of Ireland.
Malahide Castle is an enchanting structure that is like a vision from a medieval fairytale and is located close to Malahide village.
The Castle is set within a series of magnificent gardens and beautiful enchanted parklands.
Malahide Castle is an epic and constant reminder of the Talbot family and their strength and endurance throughout eras of war, change and unrest.
This majestic structure remained in the hands of the Talbot family for just over 700 years
Sir Richard Talbot was a close and trusted knight of King Henry II of England. Talbot accompanied the King on his royal visit to his lands in Ireland in 1174. For his enduring and constant loyalty, Talbot chartered the land and territory of Malahide and its harbour which was a major Medieval trade route.
Talbot commissioned the building of Malahide Castle in 1185; the castle as we see it today was built in a number of phases according to the building styles and decor of different eras in history.
The Castle left the hands of the Talbot family once in its long and distinguished history.
For a brief period of a decade during the Cromwellian occupation of Ireland, the Castle fell into the hands of Cromwellian supporters. Cromwell gifted the Castle and surrounding lands to Miles Corbett.
After the fall of Cromwell, Corbett was put to death by hanging, and Malahide Castle was placed back into the hands of the Talbot family.
Malahide Castle endured the Battle of the Boyne.
The Castle famously remained in the hands of the Talbot family during the time of the Penal Laws in Ireland, even though the family remained faithful to the Roman Catholic faith.
In 1918 during the First World War airships were based at Malahide to conduct anti-submarine patrols of the Irish Sea.
In 1975 after inheriting the estate from her brother, Rose Talbot sold the Castle and its remaining land to the Irish State.
Malahide Castle is also home to its world-famous Talbot Botanic gardens, which houses species of plants from all over the world.
Visiting Malahide Castle is a wondrous experience. The Castle itself is a must see and is surrounded by many fantastic attractions in the local area and within the Castle grounds.
Hiring the Gothic Great Hall for private functions is possible. There are beautiful displays of the Talbot Family and their extended family history.
The Talbot Botanic Gardens are also an essential visit on your Malahide Castle experience. With sporting facilities including a golf course and a cricket pitch, this is a beautiful location for all.
It is impossible to discuss Malahide Castle without mentioning its ghostly tales.
With a history spanning nearly 800 years, it’s impossible to imagine that Malahide Castle does not have some supernatural residents that have refused to leave this magnificent building.
Malahide Castle is thought to have at least five ghostly residents that often make themselves known.
One is believed to be the restless spirit of Sir Walter Hussey who was killed during a battle on his wedding day in the 15 century.
Another is thought to be the spirit of Lady Maud Plunkett who chases her third husband thought the Castle halls.
Another is said to be the ghostly spectre of Miles Corbett who was granted the Castle by Oliver Cromwell but was put to death by hanging after the fall of Cromwell.
The 4th known spirit is that of a jester known as “Puck” who would have entertained the Talbot family in the 16h Century. He had supposedly fallen in love with Lady Elenora, a rebel prisoner of Henry VIII.
He died tragically with a dagger through his heart. The most famous ghostly resident is that of a young woman known as the White Lady, who haunts the castle in a haunting white gown.
She appears in a painting that hung in the great hall of the Castle. She is said to leave the painting to haunt the halls of Malahide Castle.
There have been ghostly sighting at the Castle for centuries and seeing this wonderful place I can totally understand why they stayed.