Dunsoghly Castle

Dunsoghly Castle is a medieval fortress in St Margaret's, North County Dublin, featuring a four-story rectangular tower with square turrets at each corner. The interior contains multiple vaulted chambers that form the building's structural core.

Sir Rowland Plunkett, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, built the fortress around 1450 as a defended residence for his family. The Plunkett family remained in residence until the late 19th century, establishing a long connection to the place.

The chapel inside the castle, built in 1573, displays carved stone depicting the Instruments of the Passion and reflects how medieval Irish Catholics expressed their faith through architecture. These religious carvings show the spiritual importance the builders placed on the structure.

The castle sits on private farmland near Dublin Airport's runway and is not open to the public as a general rule. You will need to arrange permission with the owner before you can visit.

The castle preserves Ireland's sole surviving original medieval wooden roof, which later served as a reference for restoration work at Bunratty Castle. This rare structural element makes it a valuable guide for understanding how such roofs were built and maintained in medieval times.

GPS coordinates: 53.42692,-6.31833

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:07