I reland boasts a fantastic history, and I love the thought of driving across the stunning landscape, stopping off to step into some of its glorious castles. This is particularly true of Dublin, as Rathfarnham Castle lies a short drive from the city.
In fact, it’s only around ten minutes outside of the city centre, so if you decide to pick up a rental vehicle at Dublin Airport, you might decide to leave it at your accommodation for this trip and use it for those castles that are a little further away.
The bus might not be convenient, especially if you have little ones in tow, but if you can easily hop on public transport to the castle you need to catch the 16/16A from the city centre. Rathfarnham Castle is in Dublin’s 14 district, and when you come here you can take an hour-long guided tour of the tourist attraction if you want to learn more.
Hopefully, the information I can provide will pique your interest and encourage you to visit this breathtaking part of Ireland. The original castle was constructed for Archbishop Adam Loftus and dates back to the Elizabethan period. If you visit Trinity College before coming to Rathfarnham, you might have already heard the archbishop’s name, as he played a role in establishing the educational institution.
When I think of castles, I always think of huge fortresses nestled on top of a hill, but Rathfarnham is more of a fortified house than a typical castle. If the weather is on your side, make sure you stroll around the lovely gardens that surround the castle.
Don’t worry if it’s a tad rainy when you visit, as there’s plenty to see inside. One indoor attraction that is bound to be interesting for all visitors is the Berkeley Costumes and Toy Collection. If you’ve brought your kids with you, they’ll no doubt find some of the toys highly amusing when compared to their modern gadgets.
The backdrop of the opulent interior really brings the toys to life and you can imagine children of years gone by playing with the different items on show. Costumes, dolls and other toys date back to the 18th and 19th centuries and have come from auctions, donations and the family trunks of Countess Ann Griffin Bernstorff. The Irish collector and artist began the collection more than 20 years ago and allowed it to be housed in the castle.
I always find toys from centuries ago really interesting, especially some of the more simple ones that are still around today. The collection is definitely a fantastic addition to the castle and you can easily while away a couple of hours exploring the building and the toys within.
If visiting Rathfarnham has encouraged you to head out to some of the other castles close to Dublin city centre, there are a couple I think are well worth the drive. Ardgillan Castle lies between Skerries and Balbriggan on the coast and provides breathtaking elevated views of the coastline.
There’s also Malahide Castle, which reopened in October 2012 after months of refurbishment and is nestled within 250 acres of parkland. The town of Malahide itself is a pretty one and located next to the sea, so make sure you stroll along the coast with some chips or an ice-cream after taking a tour of the castle.
