Irish Castles

Who doesn’t love a good castle? (or even a bad one?) Irish castles are not the humongous structures you might expect, though there are some large ones (see photo). Most are rather dark due to their windows being narrow slits, designed primarily to see if an enemy is approaching. The rooms inside are small so they can be warmed by a fireplace, though some have a great hall and many have a chapel. Throughout the Emerald Isle you’ll find castles in a variety of conditions, from piles of rubble to beautifully restored.

Did you know you can stay in castles when you visit Ireland? Check out this link for an array of beautiful castle hotels: http://www.celticcastles.com/find_irish.asp

If you’re not interested in staying in a castle, maybe you’d like to get married in one. Would that be romantic, or what? There are many beautiful castles throughout Ireland where couples can take their vows amidst stone walls that have stood tall and proud for centuries. Just type “Irish Castle Weddings” into Google or Yahoo for a list of sites.

Hidden passageways, wails in the night and slamming doors might be just the ticket for those of you interested in paranormal activity. There are plenty of allegedly “haunted” castles available for exploration throughout Ireland. Now I myself am not a believer in ghosts, but apparently haunted castle tours are quite popular.

One more post coming up this week on Ireland -- stay tuned!