Dunlough Castle, Norman castle site in Three Castle Head, Ireland

Dunlough Castle consists of three connected rectangular towers standing on a rocky headland between steep cliffs and the shores of Dun Lough. The structure sits facing the Atlantic Ocean and uses the rugged landscape as part of its defense.

The O'Mahony family built this castle in 1207 and held control of it for centuries. In 1627 the British Crown took over the property, marking the end of local rule.

The name Dunlough comes from the Irish Dún Locha, "fort of the lake", and the site is also called Three Castle Head, Ceann na dTrí Chaisleán. The three keeps were built to different designs: the eastern one held a spiral staircase, the western one straight stairs, and the central keep had both. The spiral stairs of the eastern tower are visible from outside where its walls have crumbled.

Getting there means walking about 30 minutes across private farmland with sheep, following unmarked paths from the parking area. Wear sturdy shoes and check the weather beforehand since the terrain changes with the seasons.

The eastern tower's spiral staircase is now visible from outside, because the outer walls have crumbled away. Each of the three keeps was three storeys high, and the western tower held a second-storey door reached by a removable wooden ladder.