LandmarkEasy1-2 hours
Ross Castle
← All things to do
About
Ross Castle is a fifteenth-century tower house on a spit of land reaching into Lough Leane, built by the O'Donoghue chieftains and famous as the last place in Munster to hold out against Cromwell's forces, in 1652. The Office of Public Works runs it, and the interior can only be seen on a guided tour, first-come and capped at fifteen people, so there is no online booking. The castle is also the pier where the lake boats leave for Innisfallen and the Gap of Dunloe, so it is the natural hinge of a day on the water.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A 15th-century O'Donoghue tower house on the shore of Lough Leane
- ✓The last stronghold in Munster to fall to Cromwell, in 1652
- ✓Guided OPW tours of the restored interior
- ✓The departure pier for boats to Innisfallen and the Gap of Dunloe
Tips
- →Interior is by guided tour only, first-come and capped at 15; arrive early in summer.
- →Open roughly early March to early November; closed in deep winter.
- →An easy walk or cycle from town through the Knockreer estate.
Best Season
SpringSummerAutumn
