Dunluce Castle

One of Northern Ireland’s most iconic historic monuments, Dunluce Castle has been steeped in Irish history and heritage for over 500 years. The dramatic history of the castle is only matched by the stories that have arose from around the area, and it is also regarded as a possible inspiration within C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia.

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Located between The Giant’s Causeway and the coastal town of Portrush, Dunluce Castle offers an engaging and immersive experience, allowing visitors to explore the castle, and provides both an adult and children’s tour. The castle has also been used recently as a filming location for the television series Game of Thrones.

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During dangerous times, our ancestors used parts of the north coast for emergency refuge. A rocky outcrop can be defended by walling off the land side, creating an instant fort that cannot be attacked from three sides. All along the coastline, the remains of such ancient fortifications can be still be seen if you look for the clues.

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The outcrop at Dunluce is unusual, in that it was occupied well into recent times, only falling into disuse after 1690. The dramatic ruined castle that seems to grow out of the very cliff is a mixture of buildings from different periods. Down through the centuries, it was owned by different clans and families – the de Burghs, the McQuillans, the MacDonnells and the McDonalds – as their fortunes rose and fell with the tides of history. The tides of the sea brought other dramas: in October 1588, a Spanish Armada ship called La Girona was wrecked below Dunluce, with 1,291 drowned and only 9 survivors. And according to local legend, the castle`s kitchens once collapsed into the sea!

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The Earl Bishop rode past the castle frequently, on his way to and from the Giant`s Causeway. It may even have inspired his great building project further west, the mansion at Downhill, which like Dunluce, sits on a wild maritime headland.

However, there is much more to Dunluce than just the castle ruins – an entire town lies along the cliff around the castle entrance. ‘The lost town of Dunluce’ was destroyed during an uprising in 1641, but its remains are still there under the grassy fields, and there is a plan to eventually uncover large parts of it.