Ireland’s oldest still inhabited castle is the imposing, 12th-century era, Kilkea Castle, in Kildare, near Dublin. Now a castle hotel, it is one of the finest in the country.
It has an abundance of historical character and is surrounded by a 180-acre estate which includes some beautifully tended gardens, much wild parkland and woodland, and even its own 18-hole golf course.
Kilkea Castle at a Glance
- Castle: A 12th-century castle and one of Ireland’s oldest still inhabited castles, with an abundance of historical character.
- Accommodation: Rooms and suites in the castle itself, courtyard rooms in the old castle outbuildings, and separate lodges offering both B&B rooms and self-catering accommodation. The castle bedrooms retain their historical style, with particularly atmospheric and romantic suites.
- Location: Less than an hour by car from Dublin city centre, ten minutes from Athy in County Kildare, fifteen minutes from Carlow, and less than half an hour from the Wicklow mountains.
- Dining: The Bistro, Hermione’s Restaurant and the 1180 Restaurant offer a choice of informal and fine-dining options, while the Keep Bar provides a cosy pub atmosphere.
- Facilities: Boutique spa, tennis courts and an 18-hole par 70 golf course, with horse-riding, falconry, archery, tours and excursions also available.
- Setting: A 180-acre estate with beautifully tended gardens, wild parkland and woodland, as well as the golf course.
The Rooms:
Kilkea has a broad range of accommodation options; rooms and suites in the castle itself, courtyard rooms in the old castle outbuildings, and separate lodges on the grounds of the estate, both B&B rooms and self-catering.
There is also the option of hiring out the entire castle for exclusive use or a three-bedroom section of it.
If you have a large group this will work out much cheaper than booking individually, but as demand for Kilkea is always high it should certainly be reserved well in advance.
While the courtyard rooms and the lodges are more modern, the castle bedrooms keep their historical style, with the suites being particularly atmospheric and romantic.
Historical or not, modern comforts and facilities are in abundance all around; it is a luxury hotel after all.
Facilities & Things to Do:
There are boutique spa facilities at Kilkea Castle with a range of health and beauty treatments featuring Elemis luxury skin care products and pioneering Biotec facial machines.
You’ll have plenty of good dining options at Kilkea: The Bistro offers wholesome Irish food, classic international dishes, and various light bites in an informal setting, while Hermione’s Restaurant offers a more fine-dining experience.
Hermione’s dining hall is in the golf clubhouse a few minutes’ walk from the castle.
The finest of all though is the 1180 Restaurant, which also offers fine dining and has a very grand, very romantic setting in the old castle drawing room.
All the above serve a choice of drinks but for more of a real pub experience, you can head to the Keep Bar on the ground floor.
It’s a cosy, intimate place with a generally friendly, unpretentious atmosphere.
The Location:
Kilkea Castle is less than an hour by car from Dublin city centre, just ten minutes from the town of Athy in County Kildare, and fifteen from Carlow.
The wilds of the Wicklow mountains too can be reached in less than half an hour from the castle.
History of Kilkea Castle:
After the 1170 Norman Conquest of Ireland, the main instigator, Strongbow, granted the lands around this part of Kildare to a loyal colleague and knight named Sir Walter de Riddlesford, Baron of Bray.
The Normans were advanced castle builders; the vast majority of castles in Britain and Ireland were built by them to help defend and hold their lands, with their expertise at castle building being a major factor in their successful subjugation of new territories.
And so began a castle-building campaign in Ireland; one which in 1180 produced Kilkea Castle, built for de Riddlesford by the new Earl of Ulster and Chief Governor of Ireland, Hugh de Lacy.
The castle though would soon become synonymous with the Fitzgerald surname when Sir Walter’s granddaughter, Emmeline, married Maurice Fitzgerald, 3rd Baron of Offaly in 1273 and thus began an over 700-year association between Kilkea and the Fitzgeralds.
Guest Reviews:
“Exceptional. Everything; the location, the gardens, the facilities and the staff. It truly is a magical castle, real fairytale….”
Read all guest reviews at Booking.com
Our Verdict
Kilkea Castle is oldest still inhabited castle, dating back to the 12th century. It offers a particularly strong castle hotel experience as this is no 19th century castle folly, it’s the real, medieval deal.
That said we think the castle bedrooms could be a little more period in style, though the suites particularly are certainly atmospheric and romantic.
There is a bit flexibility: courtyard rooms and lodges provide more modern accommodation, while the entire castle or a three-bedroom section can sometimes be hired for exclusive use.
The 180-acre estate adds substantially to the experience, with gardens, woodland, an 18-hole golf course, spa, dining options and a range of activities.
We’d choose Kilkea for historical purists who want to stay genuine castle, rather than a 19th century recreation, combined with the perks of a luxury hotel.
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